Lessons from Megaprojects: Applying Big Project Insights to Church Leadership
And a quick note if you are wanting to talk Senior Pastor Smart Succession This Year
~800 words - 3 to 4 quick minutes
My last issue had summer reading lists of books that have remained on my shelf. But I keep reading new books. This one earlier this year profoundly impacted some of my thinking.
Bent is a Danish engineer and consultant who has studied megaprojects that take a combination of resources, political muscle, and creativity. What did he find?
Most take too long and end up way over budget; some never happen, and those that do rarely yield the desired results.
After explaining why they don’t, he explains how they can work under the right conditions. This includes the proper budget for time and money to avoid over-promising results.
I have not done a formal study of church projects. Few are at a mega status that he would consider for study. But Flyvbjerg says that even a simple home renovation can be a mega project for a household.
But I have observed some disastrous church projects that have crippled a congregation for a half-decade or more. And his observations about large-scale projects are very relevant for church leaders to apply.
A few of their rules of thumb to ensure success.
1. “Hire a masterbuilder.”
This person has deep domain experience and a proven track record of success in what they do.
I have seen churches hire commercial contractors who had built some projects of a similar scale but had no experience with auditoriums of this scale. Worse, I have seen them employ inexperienced software consultants with a good price but could not complete the project.
I consult on Senior Pastor Smart Succession. I have seen churches try to get by with some resident business person who did it once in their family business to advise the church. Or a pastor who did it at their church.
You don’t want to get caught short. Talk to someone who has seen hundreds of cases and advised multiple dozens through the whole process.
Even more detrimental is the pastor's determination to do it all themselves. Would you let them construct the next building, too?
2. “Get your team right”
The authors quote Ed Catmull of Pixar here: “Give a good idea to a mediocre team and they will screw it up. Give a mediocre idea to a great team, and they will either fit it or come up with something better.”
Want to see a project fail? Name the wrong team to lead and execute it.
I once spoke to a group of church construction companies, and they said the issue is usually not the plan but the internal team designated to develop it. That’s where things go off track.
The same is true for Pastor Succession. It takes a good team that will work together with a master builder to make it all work.
The Big Dig - how much longer did it take? How much more did it cost?
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Time to get on it
The dam broke loose last week when people wanted to discuss their succession plans. Over that week, seven churches requested one of the free sessions to discuss starting their process.
I am always willing to do that with a church. No obligation. No charge.
But starting the coaching process is looking tighter on my schedule for the next few months.
If you want to start with an overview call with you, your spouse, your board chair, or the entire board, it's time to make that happen before it is too late.
That’s not just marketing speak—that's reality right now. I am grateful for the work and clients, but I have to respect a few limits!
I do my best to accommodate but to set calendar dates; you need to “get on it.” And soon.
Email me at dave.travis@generis.com to set up your time.
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3. “Ask Why?”
Focus on the ultimate purpose and your result.
For Senior Pastor Smart Succession, the ultimate purpose is to maintain the long-term health of the church. It’s not the current pastor, the board, or the next pastor. While those things are included, the overriding concern has to be the church as a whole.
Another analogy for a church would be a well-run generosity initiative. Partners will want to know the reasons for the project and how it builds up people in the grace of discipleship through generosity practices, even more than the need for vision or building expansion.
Some churches were caught up in a multisite enthusiasm some years ago and now are going back to ask the “why” question. Best to know moving into that ministry area on the front end because that will determine a decade of other related decisions.
4. Build with Lego
“Big is built from small.”
The more modular we can make and build a process repeatedly, the greater the likelihood of success.
This principle is of getting it right and multiplying the effort in a similar pattern.
It is how larger churches grow by building a system of smaller groups and ministries that follow the same or very similar templates.
When I consult with a church on succession, I show them that there are modules and steps we walk through together that get them toward their goals and ends. I now have over 200 proven tools a church could use as they progress (most use about 50).
I will say that this section of his book made me think of more modularity as the key to scaling a church that I will save for a later article.
Next week, I will tackle Flyvbjerg's next points about how to avoid the pitfalls of major projects that are most common around the world.