3 Minute Read…
I suspect there is something new (or many somethings) you would like to do in your church or business.
Perhaps you desire to make a change? Add a product line? Add a service time?
The change isn’t simple. Doing something new requires resources — time, money, and energy. Doing something new is risky, especially considering most “new” things fail.
How can you change it up without risking too much?
Some might say, “take the risk!” You’ll never hear me say that. Or maybe I will, but only when the risk is caveated by making it more calculated. I’m not against risk, but I am against recklessness.
Here’s my advice:
“Try it” before you “do it.”
Trying is an experiment where real results provide actual data for better decisions. Doing something is a commitment utilizing real resources.
So, what do you want to “try”?
As an example, let’s consider adding a new service time at your church.
Let’s say your church has two Sunday morning services, and you want to add a third. Your instinct is to survey your congregants, tabulate their answers, and allow their feedback to drive the decision.
Don’t.
Surveys tell you only what people say they will do. You’re about to invest a lot of time, money, and energy into creating a third service. You need to know what they will do. Surveys are never accurate. In many cases, they are entirely inaccurate. We should never make costly decisions with erroneous or incorrect information.
So don’t survey. Instead, announce that you’re beginning a new service time. Give the date and the new time. Then, when the day of the new service time arrives, DON’T HAVE THE SERVICE. Instead, count the number of people who show up, give them a Starbucks gift card for their trouble, and tell them you decided to postpone the launch (which is true).
I know this seems insane, but I suspect very few people will be angry, and you’ll walk away with actual data. Your cost is gift cards. Your benefit is measurable data. If nobody shows, you’ve learned something invaluable (and you aren’t stuck with that Saturday night service for 11 people). If lots of people show, you know moving forward is appropriate.
This approach works for just about anything you want to try. If you’re considering a new product, put it on your website and count how many people purchase it. Send every buyer an email apology (it’s out of stock at the moment…which is true!) and a 10% off code.
Just remember, data is the secret to decisions — real data.
How can I help?
Getting better, not just bigger, is why I created Transformation Solutions. At Transformation Solutions, we help churches discern what needs to change and coach pastors through the challenge of change. If you are ready to get better, I’d love to support you and your church through the process of evaluation and execution.
Go right now to mytransformationsolutions.com and sign up for a free, 30-minute conversation to decide if working together works for you.
