informed and purposeful parish council decisions

Mission-Based and Knowledge-Based Decision Making

Stewardship AdvocatesTM

Assumes Two Essential Conditions

1. There is awareness and agreement on the mission and there is personal and parish council commitment to it.

2. There is reliable and pertinent knowledge or there is a willingness

to acquire it.

2

From Observation to Wisdom

3

Observation: sensory input from the outside world

Data: measurements of sensory input

Information: conceptual organization of measurements

Knowledge: facts, truths, principles, beliefs

Wisdom: the judicious application of knowledge to

people, issues, events, dilemmas and conflicts

Potential Benefits for Parish Councils • Common frame of reference for every report and issue

• Parish councils more responsive to parish need through access to information and knowledge

• More reasoned discourse and less political jockeying

• Mission-based decisions – not personality-based decisions

• Positively raises the profile of the Parish Council before the community

• Parish councils are more concerned about outcomes

• Parish Council is gospel-oriented because it is mission-oriented

4

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Associations that don’t adapt to the rate of change may begin to falter and eventually fail.

Shapes the Process of Governance

• Improves direction setting and strategic intent

• Eases policy formulation and approvals

• Bolsters personal commitment to advocacy

• Informs all personal and Parish Council stewardship activities

and duties

• More balanced evaluation and assessment procedures

5

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Boards Must Be Focused Four major areas of focus Set direction for the association (vision/mission and goals) Make policy for the association (public and association policy) Think strategically and plan for the future d. Set performance standards and measure how association is doing

Mission–Based and Knowledge–Based Decision Making

• Based on strategic thinking – the pursuit of the right questions such as

“What do we wish to become?” and “What is our preferred future?”

• Thoughts and discussions referenced to mission

• In deliberations, shared and validated information is held at a higher

regard than personal opinion.

6

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Therefore, more and more associations are turning to knowledge-based decision making. No decision should be made unless the Board has sufficient information to make educated decisions. Appropriate questions must be asked and answered before reaching a conclusion. Even then, you can’t be sure you have the right one, but you have a much greater chance for making better decisions.

Before and After Examples

Our membership survey shows that parishioners want better efforts to include non-Orthodox spouses and to welcome visitors and newcomers.

7

My opinion is that we are doing just fine.

Statistics show that membership is dropping.

The majority of our members are ______ so our language and culture should be honored.

How does our discussion reflect our mission to baptize all nations and serve the larger community?

We’ve always been this way. I don’t see any reason to change.

Four Examples of Questions in Mission- and Knowledge-Based Decision Making

• According to our data, we are actually failing in our mission inasmuch

as the parish membership is shrinking. How can we reverse this?

• What do we know about our members’ feelings, needs and

preferences relevant to the position description of the proposed

second priest?

• Shouldn’t there be a plan for the special training of the second priest

for youth ministry and for our senior pastor in evangelization and

church growth?

• This issue clearly advances our mission, but how do we finance it?

(c) Stewardship Advocates 8 Master Builders

Presenter

Presentation Notes

These are the four questions that a Board should ask before making a decision. All questions may not apply to each action needed, but they should always be in front of the Board. Let’s review those questions…………….

The Parameters of Important Decisions

• Frame the issue, define the question

• Gather data

• Research information

• Use information-based knowledge and mission-based

deliberation before acting

• Think and plan strategically

• Parish Council members must be well prepared

• Trust and respect the themes of the deliberations

• Effective listening leads to understanding

9

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Today, Boards try to dialogue before they have formal deliberation. They can do this by holding a mega issue discussion or calling for a committee of the whole which sets aside Roberts Rules of Order. This allows open and free dialogue and debate. Board members need to develop trust and respect for each other and speak with only once voice after a decision is made. Anyone who cannot support the Board “voice” should not be serving as an officer or director. This holds true for profits and non-profits. A strong Board culture leads to better decision making and more people willing to serve.

The mission-based and knowledge-based Parish Council cares less about who makes the decision and far more about the quality of information available and the ultimate purpose for which the decision is made.

10

Presenter

Presentation Notes

What questions do you have?

Ordained Bastille Day 1974; 38 years a priest; four parishes served; B.A., M.Div., plus 30 courses of study in nonprofit institutional development;12 years serving as Vice Chancellor of Advancement at St. Vladimir's Seminary; 15 years as consultant to well over 100 Orthodox parishes and organizations; author and editor of Good and Faithful Servant: Stewardship in the Orthodox Church. In June 2012, at his own request, Anthony was returned to the ranks of the laity in order to receive the sacrament of holy matrimony.

Anthony L. Scott

The Principal of Stewardship Advocates

Contact Information and Additional Material

phone/text: 347.831.1848 email: [email protected] website: www.stewardshipadvocates.org facebook.com/stewardshipadvocates facebook.com/anthonyscottsa twitter.com/stadvocates linkedin.com/in/anthonylscott pinterest.com/anthonylscott/ slideshare.net/anthonyscottsa newsletter: http://www.stewardshipadvocates.org/

informed and purposeful parish council decisions

Education