Every institution should have clearly defined Mission-Goals they would like to accomplish in the next ten years.
In our discussion with Christian colleges and universities over the last 15 years, we have found most Presidents can’t even think about one or two of their most passionate Mission-Goals because they are forced to deal with the "crisis at hand," or they have settled into the short-term planning cycles of one to two years.
None of this is evil. But our Bible clearly states that, "The people perish without a vision." Good leadership states, "Vision perishes without the people."
Some Mission-Goals we have heard from Presidents and academic coordinators are:
• Help more students receive a Christ-centered education
• Retire debt
• Lower Tuition and fees
• Broader Access
• Less Student Debt
• Purposeful Graduates Career Preparedness
• Build or improve buildings
• Scholarships
• Faculty Sabbaticals or Research
• Support Internships or Missionaries
• International Outreach
• Increase institutional salaries
• Create/Publish original Academic content
What are some of the major areas that contribute to a higher educational organization’s stagnation?
• Lack of a "Culture of Innovation"
• Slow or outdated Processes
• Negative Nellies
• Regulatory Issues
• Lack of Institutional Buy-In
• No Vision for the Use of the Cash Surplus
• Faculty resistance
• Balanced Budget
• Debt Ratios
• Uninterested Board of Trustees
• Unreasonable Expectations
• Lack of Mission-Goals Alignment
Once a leader or academic coordinator can collaboratively focus their entire organization on a few key elements, we have seen passionate synergism accelerate the all-important metrics of an institution.
Leadership
Here at our higher education consulting firm, we have found that the keys to achieve the funding to fulfill the stated Mission-Goals include:
Higher Education Management Key # 1: Relentlessly analyze, optimize, and execute re negotiations on every single line item expense for the entire institution. Our experience has shown us that institutions can create 10-30% "found-funds" through this disciplined process.
Higher Education Management Key # 2: Outsourcing to experts with funding online operations. Aligning economic and mission objectives with key outsource partners that have the expertise and upfront funding to propel online operations is the fastest pathway for an institution to create surplus funding to achieve Mission-Goals.
Higher Education Management Key # 3: Motivating all stakeholders to come together in a highly focused strategy of execution via "prayer and action" to achieve the Mission-Goals. Leadership requires getting everybody on the same page. Once every stakeholder can clearly articulate not only the Mission-Goals, but where they individually are in the collective timeline of success, the passionate synergism accelerates the goals.
We believe from experience that achieving an institution's Mission-Goals is attainable if all three of these keys are deliberately embraced.
Our nonprofit higher education consulting firm carefully selected five partners who love Jesus, cannot be hired for a paycheck or even consulting fees, share a mutual passion to enhance Christian education, have world-leading track records in their very specific deep domain expertise, and are collectively focused on coming alongside a President of a Christian college or university to move you from surviving to thriving. For us, this is a ministry within the business world.
We are a team. It is our passion.
Here is what we look for in a partner school before we consider investing:
• Mission Alignment (passion)
• Geographic Location
• Underserved Market
• Niche Programs
• Plans for Growth
• Strong Affinity Channels
• University Reputation
• Academic Quality/Integrity
• Culture of Innovation
• Institutional Integrity
Our higher education marketing consultants were recently in a meeting with one of the world's largest faith-based charities. I was completely caught off guard and then remarkably blessed after the meeting when I realized the Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Operating Officer, and President of the organization could articulate their Mission-Goals by finishing each other's sentences as though one person was speaking. However, the most remarkable revelation for me was they were speaking in terms of 10 years, 50 years, 100 years and 150 years.
It reminded me of an admonition I learned from my spiritual mentor, Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International (Cru) in which he taught us, "Live as if Christ is returning in a moment, but plan as if He will return in 100 years." Many times in my life, ministry, and/or business I have forgotten this very sage advice.
Academic coordinators and education leaders, beware of industry experts who tell you, "You cannot plan beyond three years." This may be wise advice if it means a Ten-Year Strategy to achieve your Mission-Goals must include monthly and yearly "recalibrations" based on achieving certain metrics. But do not lose sight of the Big Vision.
Before we close together, one special comment regarding a President's role within an institution. Over the last 30 years I have had the pleasure of serving many leaders, especially in Christendom.
Playing a small role, I have served Oral Roberts during his growth of Oral Roberts University, Pat Robertson as he built Regents University, Dr. Bill Bright at the launch of Kings College in New York City, Father Michael Scanlon when he became President of Steubenville University, and Dr. Jerry Falwell before Liberty University had online programs.
Yes, I served, consulted, encouraged, prayed, and volunteered; but most importantly, I learned by observing. What I learned is that these leaders all had similar character traits. They were:
• Humble
• Gentle
• But Powerful in their communication of their mission and brand.
SignificantSystems.org is a higher education consulting firm dedicated to providing the needed funding and expertise to enhance Christian Higher Education. We come alongside the institutional leadership to understand the top two Mission-Goals to be achieved in ten years. Then we collaboratively serve together to create a strategic plan for success. We are not consultants; we are co-laborers in the harvest.
Our Approach is Deliberate:
• Discovery: Data collection
• Diagnose Complex Problems: Build Detailed Financial Models
• Design Mission-Goals Solutions: Ten Year Strategy
• Deliver the Mission-Goals: Execute, Evaluate & Optimize
Once we understand your Ten Year Strategy, we provide the Money, Management, and Marketing to super-charge the plan. We do all of this with no upfront funding or risk from the institution.
In closing, Christian higher education will be facing both incredible challenges and opportunity simultaneously in the next decade. We encourage Presidents and their leadership teams to dream and dream big. Do not become discouraged, nor sweat the small stuff. Keep your eye on finishing the race. Together we can achieve far more than we can imagine if indeed we dream big.
We'd love to get your thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to Contact Us – we can even schedule a webinar for your institution. This will help us understand if our providing Money, Management & Marketing for your institution can super-charge your Mission-Goals.
Contact Significant Systems
To learn more about Dr. Michael Clifford and Significant Systems, check out our website. If you have any interest in pursuing our new model of education for your institution, Contact Us.
Remember, our goal is simple:
• Provide Broader Access
• Lower Tuition and Fees
• Leave your Institution with Less Debt and More Graduates
• Facilitate Education with a Purpose
Looking forward to our possible conversation!
Dr. Michael K. Clifford
Chairman
760.801.5021(My personal cell)
mkc@mclifford.com
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