“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” –Php3: 14

The final dysfunction of a team is “Inattention to Results”. When a team fails to focus on results, three inevitable consequences will happen to the team: (1) loss its meaning and purpose of existent; (2) becomes stagnant and fail to grow; (3) loss its competitiveness and finally collapse. “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepth the law, happy is he.” (Pr 29:18)

Paul is very clear about the vision the Lord has given him: to win the prize for which God has called him heavenward in Christ. Anyone without a goal will be like a runner runs aimlessly and a boxer beats the air. (1Co 9:26) Every organization exists for a purpose and anything without meaning and purpose will not last.

To focus on the results the team must be forward looking. The team must fix their eyes on the goal and must not look back. Each look back hinders their progress by disrupts their pace causing them to lose ground. We can either be discouraged by looking back at our past failures or stagnant by resting back on our past glory. In actual fact, Paul said, “Do not look back, forget what is behind”, and “strain towards what is ahead.” No matter how we have failed in the past or no matter how much we have achieved in the past, we need to press on: for our race is not finish yet!

Let’s pray.

Lord, please help me never lose sight of the ultimate goal you have called me to reach in the midst of many distractions in life. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Before we go, take a look at the questionnaire below:

1. In Philippians 3:14, Paul speaks of a “goal” and a “prize.” In your opinion, what insights does this offer for setting objectives in a modern team context?

2. Why should teams focus on moving forward rather than dwelling on the past? How does this forward-looking perspective foster team growth?

3. Consider how to apply the principle of “forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead” to help team members overcome the limitations posed by both past failures and successes.