Dan Smith & Mary K. Hucyke: CourageousSpace Newsletter: February 2008
The Slinky Principle
Frank and Janet serve on the administrative board of their congregation. Last year they attended a workshop on renewal and went home convicted of the need for renewal and excited about the challenge. "We've run into an absolute stone wall," Frank shared. "We bring it up in meetings, but people ignore us and simply continue doing things the way they always have. I'm so frustrated, I'm thinking we should leave and find another church - one that gets it."
Present a group of people with a new idea or an innovation and their behavior
is predictable. A few individuals will adopt that innovative idea right off
the bat. A few others fall at the other end of spectrum and are vehemently opposed
to it. In the middle is everyone else, all of whom are waiting to see what others
experience and think before they make their own decision.
The work of sociologist and statistician Everett Rogers helps us understand
this phenomenon. Rogers's diffusion theory proposes that when a new idea or
innovation is presented to a social system, the people in the system adopt that
idea or innovation at different rates. Innovators, 2.5% of the group, make their
decision rapidly and independently. If the idea intrigues them and makes sense
to them, they're in. The remaining 97.5% of the group look to the choices the
others in the group are making to help them decide.
Innovation moves through a large group of people in much the same way that a
Slinky moves. Play a bit with that coil-shaped children's toy and you'll learn
a lot about how change moves through a congregation or any organization. Lift
the top ring an inch or two and you'll notice that only the next 2 or 3 coils
are affected. The bulk of the Slinky stays put, exerting force on those leading
rings to return. Each ring in a Slinky only moves as a result of movement in
the rings on either side. The first ring moves, stretching the ring next to
it. If that second ring yields to the stretching and moves, then a third ring
is stretched. If it yields and moves, only then will the impetus to move reach
the fourth ring. A Slinky moves into a new position, only after each ring has
moved through the influence of its neighbor.
A Slinky does not move into a new position all at once and neither does a congregation.
People will move in their own time and only after the individuals they most
respect have moved. If leadership is measured by the ability to influence people,
then when it comes to congregational change, every person in the congregation
is a leader. Each person has a ring of influence.
Those individuals who first provide leadership towards renewal face temptations
in two directions. Should we wait for consensus of the congregation before we
start anything or should we simply plow ahead full speed? Neither will help
the congregation move. A Slinky can only move if the first ring moves. Waiting
for full consensus before taking a first step, guarantees that the step will
never be made. On the other hand, moving too fast, without consideration of
those in other rings, makes it impossible for others to follow at their own
pace.
Jerry, the lay leader of a nearby congregation, shared that after 6 months of
prayer and study the renewal team had reached a clear and common understanding
of the mission of their congregation. They summarized it into a concise statement
and handed it out it to various leaders of teams and committees so that all
the work of the congregation could be aligned to meet that aim. They were surprised
and frustrated when nothing happened. They forgot that their new understanding
of and enthusiasm for the congregation's mission came as a result of those six
months of prayerful study. They tried to yank the next ring of leadership up
rather than creating the settings where those people could think about, test
out and finally claim for themselves this new way of being and doing church.
Lasting change happens are people are drawn forward by purpose, vision and values.
Change made as a result of being pushed, shamed or guilted generally reverses
itself as soon as the external pressure is removed. Movement happens as people
make up their own minds that the shift is beneficial and worthwhile. Hearing
others speak personally about, witnessing to "why this is important to
me," provides helpful information to people reflecting on that question
for themselves. Using scare tactics or pointing to dire consequences verges
on manipulation. This may initially provoke movement, but it cannot sustain
it.
CourageousSpace 2008