7 elementary questions that help you make graduate-level change

Gerry Lewis June 21, 2018

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“All I really need to know I learned in kindergarten.” So said author Robert Fulghum in his 1988 bestselling collection of essays by the same title.

That statement would assuredly qualify as hyperbole (“all” I needed to know?), but there is a grain of truth there. Many of us have an unfortunate tendency toward making things considerably more complicated than they need to be.  

I don't mean to imply that every dilemma has a simple solution, but I do mean that complex issues are not necessarily best addressed by complicated and convoluted strategies. Sometimes, the key to discerning the solution to the complexity is found in remembering how to ask the seven questions that are the basic information-gathering building blocks of the English language: why, who, what, where, which, when, how.

I will limit the scope of these questions to how leaders can facilitate change in a church or organization. 

Axioms of change

Before any leader begins asking the seven questions, he or she needs to understand some axioms of change.

No one likes change except a wet baby. Yes, I know the team who interviewed you for this position said they were ready for a change. They lied. What they meant was that they were ready to get different results. They are OK with any change you make that does not affect them personally. One wise mentor told a new pastor, “For the first six months, don’t change anything, but your underwear.” That’s not a bad rule of thumb. 

There is no growth without change. Living things grow and growing things change. The alternative to change is death. The sad truth is that some (thankfully, not all) of your members would rather die than change.

There is a drastic difference between change and transformation.  Any change that does not lead to transformation is at risk of being overturned as soon as the wind blows a different direction. Dallas Willard said that transformation happens through the VIM pattern (Vision, Intention, Means).  The seven questions can help you refocus vision, clarify intention, and identify the proper means to lead to transforming and significant change.

Seven important questions

1. Why?“Why” questions remind us of the importance of reasons and explanations. They may also be the most neglected questions. Examples: Why do we need to make this change? Why does this matter? Why now?

2. Who? “Who” questions remind us that concepts and processes affect real people. Examples: Who do we need on board? Who will champion this cause? Who will do the work? Who will be most affected by this change? Who is most likely to oppose it?

3. What? “What” questions remind us that we must move from generalities to specifics.  Examples: What are we trying to change? What is it going to cost us to make this change? What is it going to cost us not to make this change? What will we measure? What does success look like?

4. Where. “Where” questions remind us of positions and destinations. Examples: Where will this change be most noticed? Where are the “landmines”? Where will this change lead us?

5. Which?“Which” questions remind us that there are choices and alternatives. Examples: Which change comes first? Which change is most needed? Which change has the greatest leverage potential to affect additional changes?

6. When?“When” questions remind us of the art of timing. Examples: When will we announce our intention? When will we launch? When is the best time to initiate? When will we evaluate?

7. How?“How” questions remind us that processes matter, not just results. Examples: How will we cast the vision for this change? How will we proceed? How will we respond to resistance? How will we know that transformation has occurred?

The ability to ask and answer these elementary questions may prevent a bad transition and the change of the leader’s address.

Photo source: istock 

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Dr. Gerry Lewis serves as Executive Director of the Harvest Baptist Association in Decatur, Texas. He is also Founder and CEO of YLM Resources, which includes Next Step Coach-Sulting and Life Matters Publications. He is also an author of four books, including Why Bible Study Doesn't Work. He and his wife live in Azle, Texas and have two grown children and three (so far) grandchildren. His weekly Life Matters blog and Your Church Matters podcast can be found at drgerrylewis.com. Learn More »

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