3. You can judge a leader by the size of the
problem he tackles. People nearly
always pick a problem their own size,
and ignore or leave to others the bigger
or smaller ones.
Anthony Jay
4. One of the prime responsibilities of
leaders is decision making.
Decision-making leaders are leaders
who solve problems by making good
decisions the result in lasting solutions.
One key to leadership credibility is how
well leaders resolve problems,
especially in times of adversity.
5. There are many different styles of
decision making: Collaborative Decisions
Seeks consensus
Engages in dialog
Values gifts of others
Advantages: buy-in, multiple perspectives,
can create synergy and cohesiveness
Disadvantage: takes time, can create
conflict
6. There are many different styles of
decision making: Negotiated Decisions
Contracting
Mediation
Advantages: can result in an acceptable
compromise, and can produce positive
results
Disadvantage: can create an adversarial
relationship between parties
7. There are many different styles of decision
making: Executive Decisions
Unilateral
Consultative
Delegated
Advantages: can be quicker, freedom of the
executive to seek input from specialists
outside the organization
Disadvantages: can be arbitrary, dictatorial,
and uninformed
8. There are many different styles of
decision making: Rule-Based Decisions
By the book
Objective standard
Advantages: it can quell conflict, it can
be quick and effective, it is consistent
Disadvantages: it can be unyielding to
extenuating circumstances, it can
remove the potential for a better option
11. To tell the dream or not to tell the
dream (Gen. 37)
A slave in Potiphar’s house – serve
faithfully or not (Gen. 39)
The seduction of Potiphar’s wife – to
give in or not to give in (Gen. 39)
A prisoner – to help others or not to
help others (Gen. 40)
12. Pharaoh’s dreams – to interpret or not
(Gen. 41)
The coming famine – to help or not to
help (Gen. 41)
The bothers of Joseph show up – to
punish or to forgive (Gen. 42-45)
13. Joseph’s decisions were guided by his
core values and his relationship with
God.
There is a spiritual side to decisions:
Do they reflect faith and trust in God?
Have we sought God’s guidance?
Do we have peace about the decision?
Have we applied the Golden Rule?
14. One of the best lessons for making good decisions is
making bad decisions – if we learn from our mistakes.
Making good decisions:
Begins with an awareness of the problem
Requires that the problems have identified
and defined
Gather the facts –
1. What factors caused the problem?
2. How could this problem be redefined?
3. What assumptions are at work?
15. Making good decisions:
Look for the best decision rather than the
right decision – analyze but also pay
attention to feelings. Does it “feel” right?
Choose the best potential solution from
the creative options available.
Implement the decision and make it work.
Review and adjust as necessary.
16. “The wrong decision at the wrong time is a
disaster. The wrong decision at the right time
is a mistake. The right decision at the wrong
time is not acceptable. The right decision at
the right time leads to success.”
Joseph was very strategic in his approach with
his brothers. He was attempting to discover
their character and their true nature before
revealing himself to them.
19. “One of the reasons why things aren’t
going according to plan is because there
never was a plan.”
Ashleigh Brilliant
20. Joseph modeled how to lead a country
during an economic boom because he
developed a strategic plan that prepared
the country for the inevitable downturn
in the economy.
Strategic leaders are important to the
success of any organization.
21. Mark Twain “The secret to getting
ahead is getting started.
The secret of getting
started is breaking your
complex, overwhelming
tasks into small
manageable tasks, and
starting on the first one.”
22.
23. Is it possible to have a strategic plan, and
still claim to be trusting God?
It is “spiritual” for a pastor to plan ahead for
an entire year’s worth of sermons?
Are we trusting God if we predetermine our
goals and the methods we intend to use to
achieve them?
Does God plan ahead?
24. Effective planning is first the result of clear
goals, the reason for planning.
Joseph had foresight into the likely future of
Egypt from the dreams.
Joseph understood strategic leadership
begins with a clear vision of what God is
doing.
Joseph then had to develop a plan to address
the problem facing Egypt.
25. The best plans are of little effect if those
people with authority to implement them
are not convinced. Joseph was effective in
“selling” his plan to Pharaoh.
Gen. 41:37 “So the advice was good in the
eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his
servants.”
Joseph was given the authority to implement
his plan. Pharaoh knew when to delegate.
26. The problem: A seven year famine would
follow seven years of plenty.
The plan: Store up excess food during the
years of plenty, to provide during the years
of famine.
Was this a good plan?
Do modern governments follow this plan?
27. John Wesley “Do all the good you can,
by all the means you can,
all the ways you can, in
all the places you can, at
all times you can, to all
the people you can, for
as long as you can.”
28. Proverbs 21:5
“The plans of the diligent lead
surely to plenty, but those of
everyone who is hasty, surely to
poverty.”
29. The first challenge is to project the future,
this is sometimes called forecasting.
Planning implies certain expectations
about future contexts and outcomes.
Based upon future expectations, the next
step involves establishing objectives. It
involves priorities.
Next develop policies that will help you
achieve your objectives.
30. The next step in the process of developing a
strategic plan involves developing programs
to accomplish your objectives, that is
establishing the sequence and priority of
steps in reaching the goal.
Finally, one must budget adequate resources
for the task. No matter how great an idea is,
it will not be pursued if there are no funds
in the budget to pay for it.
