Leadership Summit Gary Hamel

8/6/2009
Session 3
Gary Hamel
Competing for the future
Are you changing as fast as the world around you? Many of us are on the back foot. 1990 number of people that are atheist have quadrupled. Less people going to church.
Christians are not noticed to be that different. 20 members to bring in one new member.
9 of 10 Americans have faith in something. Of those who aren't they have been to church but don't stick.
We need to be magnets. We are losing market share out of apathy.
Many of us get stuck in the muck of precedent.
Things are changing so fast now. You are either going forward or backwards.
Rockets follow a curve and return to earth. We need to be humble.
We need to be ready to reinvent. Evolution as things warrant. Usually crisis helps it.
The only way change usually happens is to get rid of the leader.
4 key imperatives for change:
don't stay in the refuge of denial. We should not be surprised. WE dismiss, rationalize, mitigate, then confront. We confront ourself that it is us that needs to change. We have to face the facts. Question your beliefs about how things are done. Most of what we do will be wrong in the future. Listen to the renegades and frustrated people.
Generate more strategic options. Be ready for new stuff. Don't clutch at the familiar. Make sure change is more exciting than staying the same. Nature has tons of acorns laying on the ground to find the fertile ground. We need to have tons of ideas to find the winners. Ideastorm, what are your views and ideas from the outside.Must be open and participative.
Must be able to deconstruct what you already believe. Radical ideas. 1. look at your programs and ask what hasn't changed in the last few years.2. Compare to other churches and see what is identical to others, if unvaried ask if we are doing things the same way because of God or because we are studying the same stuff. If you are in the trenches you can mistake the edge of your rut for the horizon. Jesus was unconventional. Did not seek political power, served, etc. Are you more committed to redemption or the programs of your church? We need to be willing to sacrifice our methods.
Top down structure will not cut it. The mental models depreciate but they still have all their power. That's why we often need an outsider. Alternative: goretex created 50 years ago, 1000 products, always created profit. No titles, no hierarchy, commitment is voluntary. 20 of your associates at the end of the year are going to ask what you did. Our job is to mobilize and connect now more than ever. Power needs to come from below not only above. Natural hierarchies. We need to try a little disorganized religion. Spiritually powerful not structured.
Jesus is the answer to the hope of humanity.