If you're trying to solve the wrong problems, you can only succeed by accident. So here's a tool to help you identify problems and opportunities facing your Men's Discpleship Team. You can also use this tool to evaluate any organized effort, whether public or private, profit or not-for-profit.

Suggestion: Print several copies for each of your Men's Discipleship Team members, have them each rate your effectiveness anonymously, average the scores, and then discuss the results as a team. You can also adapt this to your business or church-even your personal life. Use this scale:

A = Excellent

B = Good (above average)

C = Average

D = Poor (below average)

E = Failed

___ 1. Leadership

Are our leaders committed to long term results? Are our leaders personally involved? Do we have the support of "higher ups?"

___ 2. Vision

Do we have a clear and compelling vision that creates a sense of urgency? Will our proposed initiative work? Is there a perception that it will work?

___ 3. People

Do we have capable, committed, trained people who understand what is expected from them? Have we created a culture that offers psychological safety to dialogue about their reservations?

___ 4. Planning

Have we prepared a believable strategy and plan with concrete implementation steps? Have we settled "who does what by when"?

___ 5. Resources

Do we have the structures, time, budget, expertise, training, and rewards and incentives to accomplish the plan?

___ 6. Execution

Have we conducted a pilot project, obtained feedback, and made adjustments? Have we implemented the changes called for in the plan? Do we have a systematic way to gather feedback and evaluate the results?

___ 7. Resistance

Have we anticipated resistance and developed ways to identify and deal with resistance?

___ 8. Communication Plan

Are we publicizing the benefits of adopting our vision and plan? Are we publicizing short term successes?

___ 9. Sustainability

Have we considered, and do we have a plan in place, to make our initiative a routine part of our church? Are we offering each man a clear path to be assimilated into the existing (or new) growth and service opportunities of our church?

NOTE: Each question above derives from research-based results. For a comprehensive overview of these 9 Areas, including a case study from the book of Nehemiah, click here.

So how did you do? Want to improve your grade this year? The answers are out there. Man in the Mirror's role in the Men's Discipleship Movement is to show you what's working-the "new wineskins."

• Our website has compiled the best thinking in Men's Discipleship. Spend some time there.
• Read No Man Left Behind or Pastoring Men.
• We can train you how to develop strategy and design concrete "next steps" to disciple men.
• Improve your 2011 results by networking with other like-minded leaders and attend Fuel: The 2011 Man in the Mirror Annual Summit.

Let us help you convert your good intentions into measurable results in 2011.

Happy New Year!

"The Journey to Biblical Manhood" -Coming Soon!
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