ENGAGING THOUGHT
All along we've been operating under the assertion that God has a DREAM for your life - and we still are, however, we need to admit one fundamental qualifier, as well: He may have a DREAM for your life, but it will impact many others. It's time we start giving serious thought about who the pursuit of God's DREAM will affect and impact. More than just the legacy impact we explored on Day 7, I mean those who will feel the affects of your pursuit now.
We need to identify the "stakeholders" in our DREAM. Stakeholders are those who have a vested interest in the DREAM, or who will perhaps play a role, or who will, at least, be affected by the change in us or our priorities along the way. Some of our stakeholders may be immediate family-members that will have a role in our pursuit either directly or via supporting us. Friends will be stakeholders, as well, as we look to them for encouragement or advice at decision-points we face. Stakeholder involvement will range from casual spectator to fully-engaged participant striving right alongside us in pursuit of the DREAM.
Think about the effect your shifting-priorities will have on relationships or other responsibilities. Unless you've figured out a way to manufacture time in your basement and can come with a ready supply of "extra-time" you will have to make room in your schedule and calendar for those activities related to the pursuit of the DREAM. Translation: something you currently give time to will have to give, which means someone else might be affected by that shift. You will probably be able to identify several smaller time-wasting activities that you can replace with DREAM-pursuit activities, lessening the affect on others (i.e. tv watching, pointless internet surfing, etc.). Chances are, however, as you move further in the DREAM-pursuit you'll have to dedicate more significant portions of time (or other resources) to it - and that means someone else may have to help pick up the slack. They are now a stakeholder.
A stakeholder may be the person you call upon for significant participation in any are of involvement. Maybe they will help fund the DREAM (you better believe they become a stakeholder at that point!); perhaps they will be a coach or mentor or a team-member (more on these roles in a couple days). The point is this: anyone affected by you pursuing the DREAM is a stakeholder at some level and if you ignore their perspective or their opinion or their involvement, you do so at your own peril! Some of these stakeholders, if not "managed" will have the power to shut down your pursuit if they feel ignored (think, especially, of your spouse or children, perhaps an employer). Managing each stakeholder will look different depending on their role and their influence: a spouse should be fully in-the-loop of information and involvement; children should know how they play a part, and how your time-priorities may shift a bit; an employer needs to know what affect your DREAM-pursuit will have on them, etc..
You may think this task belongs in the recruitment phase, but it's here in the communication part for a reason - you have to consider the ways you will keep these stakeholders aware of how you are doing as you pursue the DREAM and how they can be involved. Most people have no trouble accepting changes if they feel they know enough about the reasons behind those changes and the specifics of what will be happening.
Keep your stakeholders happy!
We need to identify the "stakeholders" in our DREAM. Stakeholders are those who have a vested interest in the DREAM, or who will perhaps play a role, or who will, at least, be affected by the change in us or our priorities along the way. Some of our stakeholders may be immediate family-members that will have a role in our pursuit either directly or via supporting us. Friends will be stakeholders, as well, as we look to them for encouragement or advice at decision-points we face. Stakeholder involvement will range from casual spectator to fully-engaged participant striving right alongside us in pursuit of the DREAM.
Think about the effect your shifting-priorities will have on relationships or other responsibilities. Unless you've figured out a way to manufacture time in your basement and can come with a ready supply of "extra-time" you will have to make room in your schedule and calendar for those activities related to the pursuit of the DREAM. Translation: something you currently give time to will have to give, which means someone else might be affected by that shift. You will probably be able to identify several smaller time-wasting activities that you can replace with DREAM-pursuit activities, lessening the affect on others (i.e. tv watching, pointless internet surfing, etc.). Chances are, however, as you move further in the DREAM-pursuit you'll have to dedicate more significant portions of time (or other resources) to it - and that means someone else may have to help pick up the slack. They are now a stakeholder.
A stakeholder may be the person you call upon for significant participation in any are of involvement. Maybe they will help fund the DREAM (you better believe they become a stakeholder at that point!); perhaps they will be a coach or mentor or a team-member (more on these roles in a couple days). The point is this: anyone affected by you pursuing the DREAM is a stakeholder at some level and if you ignore their perspective or their opinion or their involvement, you do so at your own peril! Some of these stakeholders, if not "managed" will have the power to shut down your pursuit if they feel ignored (think, especially, of your spouse or children, perhaps an employer). Managing each stakeholder will look different depending on their role and their influence: a spouse should be fully in-the-loop of information and involvement; children should know how they play a part, and how your time-priorities may shift a bit; an employer needs to know what affect your DREAM-pursuit will have on them, etc..
You may think this task belongs in the recruitment phase, but it's here in the communication part for a reason - you have to consider the ways you will keep these stakeholders aware of how you are doing as you pursue the DREAM and how they can be involved. Most people have no trouble accepting changes if they feel they know enough about the reasons behind those changes and the specifics of what will be happening.
Keep your stakeholders happy!
ACTION STEP
For today's ACTION STEP you'll make a list of all your stakeholders. You may find it helpful to break the list up into groups depending on their level of involvement. Grouping examples: spectators, fans, support, resource-people, active participants, etc. Use whatever titles will help you keep track of the different levels of involvement with your DREAM.
Tomorrow we make some decisions about getting the word out in regards to our DREAM.
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