Strategy Tips from Roomba

Kathy Sierra in Creating Passionate Users has a blog on "Organic creativity: the Roomba process" which got me thinking about how we set strategy for accomplishing our vision.  (I won't go into detail about her blog, but you do need to read it - great stuff!)

The Roomba is the little robotic vacuum that sets out to automatically vacuum the floor space you set it up to vaccum.  It's strategy in accomplishing the mission (vacumming the floor) is moving across the floor until it hits something preventing it from continuing in that direction.  It then turns and begins to move in another direction until it again hits something that stops it from going in that direction.  Again, it turns and moves in another open direction.  It continues this strategy until the mission is accomplished.

We (in church leadership) need to have our vision and mission and be unwavering in that vision and mission.  It should be set by seeking God in times of solitude, prayer, searching scripture, reading your culture & community, and counsel from other godly men and women.  And when it comes to the "how" (strategy) of accomplishing that vision and mission, let's take a few tips from the Roomba.

1.  Set a defined strategy and begin to pursue it.  Your boundaries are your mission and vision.  Now set a course to accomplish it and start.

2.  Keep pursuing that course until it is obvious you can't go any further.  Being stopped doesn't mean the end of your vision.  It is just time to change direction in your strategy.

3.  Be opportunistic.  When you hit a wall, turn and look for the next opportunity that will keep you on course to accomplish your vision and mission.  Strategies must change because our culture and community change.  If it is not an strategic step in your original plan, so what?  If it keeps you accomplishing your mission - go for it.

4.  When you get tired and run down head back to a time of rest with the Lord.  When the Roomba's batteries begin to get low, it automatically turns and returns to a docking station where it is recharged.  It doesn't keep going until the mission is accomplished.  It will take a break - even in the middle of pursuing the mission - to get recharged.

I'm sure there are more leadership thoughts we could learn from this little robot.  But right now, I got to get back to some other stuff.  Read Acts 16:6-10.  Something tells me Paul knew all about the Roomba.