Brian Sanders “Vision Week”

Dear Christian Radio, have you considered the power of a Vision Week?

I’m going to give you a big secret to PAR’s success. 

It’s called Vision Week.

Every year in January, we gather the entire PAR team for a time of refreshing, vision casting, inspiration, entertainment and education.

A local conference center is booked.  All the team stays in a hotel.  We bring in special speakers and artists.   Those speakers build on the vision that we are creating.  They help our team be better. 

We bring in an inspirational speaker who helps us all believe we are created with a purpose and with enough discipline and tenacity we can change the world. 

Meals are a celebration.  There’s laughter, discussion and friendships are made stronger. 

We worship together.   Even though the vision is great, we serve a God who is greater.  Tears are shed. Hands are raised.  Voices lifted.   It’s a moment to cherish. 

PAR just wrapped up its annual vision week.  We focused on our ways of being and launched a major initiative called The #ENCW Project. (Trust me…you’ll hear a great deal about that in the coming months. And….you and your station will want to be a part of it.  Let’s change the world together…)

Vision Week is a ton of work.  PAR leaders prepare and give presentations.  Q&A sessions.  We welcome all questions.  We’ve built a culture of candor and trust.  We argue and ten minutes later be laughing.  We trust each other that much.  

There are a million details from hotel reservations, registration table, sound system, screens, gifts for the team, meals, flights, costs and so on. 

But it is all worth it.

Why?

The team is now on the same page.  They’re moving in the same direction.  

You may respond with, “Can’t that be accomplished in an hour-long staff meeting?” 

Sure.  But you want the mission and vision to have an emotional attachment.  You want the team to smile when they think of the mountain that is before them and that’s what Vision Week does. 

Vision Week helps us celebrate the labor we must accomplish.  The week is more than just information being disseminated to team members.  It’s inspiration.  It’s helping your team see themselves as part of the mission and the vision.   You help them take ownership.  

You ready?

Go have your own Vision Week. 

I’ll close with this.  If you’re not passionate about your mission and vision, neither will they. 

Celebrate the wins.

Thank each team member.

Educate.

Inspire.

Have fun.  Laugh. 

Worship. 

Cast a grand vision for the new year. 

Give their work a grand purpose. 

Dear Christian Radio, have a vision week. 

Your team is worth every minute and dime of it. 

It won’t be easy…but remember…easy never changed the world.

P.S. Myself and the PAR Leaders are here to help.  If you’d like to chat about doing your own Vision Week and have questions, I’d be happy to discuss it with you.  Feel free to email me at brian@parfm.com.  

Brian is the Executive Vice President of Positive Alternative Radio in Blacksburg.

PAR has five brands which include Spirit FM in Lynchburg, VA; WCQR in Kingsport, TN; Positive Hits, WPER in Richmond/Fredericksburg, VA; Joy FM in Winston Salem, NC; Walk FM in Ashland, KY, Huntington,WV.