Zero-based Thinking: Zero-based Outcome?

As in life, very few things in ministry happen in a vacuum. Especially when your mission is people, a wide variety of external and internal factors play into the decision-making process. And they should. Usually.

But what if they didn’t?

Some of the most thought-provoking questions you can ask are “zero-based” questions. The term comes from the idea of zero-based budgeting, in which a budget is developed without previous figures. It starts with nothing and adds based on expected expenditures.

Zero-based questions are an attempt to put a team in that non-existent vacuum and rethink the current situation by imagining there are no current circumstances. 

In his book Sticky Teams, Larry Osborne describes zero-based retreats in which they ask such questions as:

• What would we do differently if we were starting all over again?

• What are we doing now that we wouldn’t do? 

• What are we not doing that we would do?

And key to Osborne’s discussion is not so much the questions, but the group pondering them.

“I like to keep it small (six to eight) and I don’t invite people to participate based on where they are in on our organizational chart; I invite them based on their ability to help us dream creatively and wisely about the future. Ideally, half of the room is 40 or younger.”

Why is a wide spectrum of ages and perspectives important? Osborne, who has been a pastor for 45 years and has eight grandchildren, believes half the room should be in their 30s and 40s because it is easy for seasoned leaders to ignore or snub only one or two voices.

“Put critical mass in the room, and it’s hard to hold them back,” he wrote. “One way or another, young eagles will fly. It’s our choice as to where. If your leadership team shuts them out, please don’t complain when they fly down the street and plant a church that sucks away all the kids, young families, and energetic folks.”

The organization that does not provide opportunity for voices of all ages to be heard — truly listened to and valued — could result in a future that becomes zero-people based. And that’s called a vacuum.

Auxilio is here to help. Let Auxilio take the burden of managing the business operations of your church or faith-based nonprofit off your plate so you can spend more time thinking and dreaming.