"There's no market for drill bits -- the market is for holes."
In management circles the story is told of the new CEO who took over a 100 year
old company that had manufactured drill bits but had been floundering for a
decade. The old vice president for marketing, wanting to impress the new chief
brought to their first meeting elaborate color charts illustrating the
"bit Market" -- detailing the total market for bits, and the
company's market share of the "bit market."
When the detailed presentation finally ended, all eyes turned to the new CEO
who changed the mind set of the company with one dismissive comment: "There
is no market for bits...” -there were audible gasps around the
table followed by long pause, then the new CEO finished, “the market is
for holes." Pausing a few moments for the thought to sink in, then the CEO
stood to his feet and dismissed the meeting.
As a result of that single meeting, and the dramatic way the new CEO introduced
a different style of thinking. From then on the company would look for "ways
to make holes" not for how to better manufacture drill bits. The customer
needs drill bits only so long as bits are the best way to make holes. The
moment a laser device arrives which makes a hole
better, cleaner, safer, and cheaper, drills bits will go the way of the horse
and carriage. It is focusing on the ends not the means.
"The market is for holes" applies to churches too, (which often think
like 100 year old companies). Face it, there's absolutely no "market"
for Sunday school, morning services, Sunday night carry-in dinners, Tuesday
evening calling programs, or Habitat for Humanity. The market is for the holes:
discipleship, worship, fellowship, evangelism, service. As soon as a new
program makes a better "hole" than Sunday school we should unleash it
to accomplish discipleship. When someone invents a better way to have
collective worship we can dump the Sunday morning service. Same
with fellowship, evangelism and service.
But what is instructive about this model is how it causes us to ask of everything
we do, "What is the hole?" And, "Is there a better way to make
it?" "Bit market" calls us to examine everything we do to state
its purpose, and ask if there is a better way to do it.
So what about "pastoral calling?" Church offices? Church bulletins? Midweek mailers? Sunday night service?
Pulpits? Overhead-screens-in-worship?
Pioneer clubs? Praise bands? Youth
groups? Youth conventions? Choirs?
Camps and retreats? Altar calls?
And a hundred other "bits" of the church?
So what do you think? What "bits" are we still trying to sell where
there are better ways to make the holes?
So, what do you
think?
Responses to this
column are welcome at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=161502633
Keith Drury
www.TuesdayColumn.com
Original
1984 recording: http://www.drurywriting.com/keith/strategetics/leadership/33.mp3