CHALLENGE

Recognizing the potential for polarization around a sensitive topic, the Navigators U.S. proactively launched an initiative to develop a guiding framework for making strategic decisions and engaging with complex issues, both current and future, with discernment, truthfulness, and love.

KEY CONTRIBUTIONS:

• Maintaining Unity: Balancing diverse Scriptural interpretations while preserving trust and cohesion.
   

• Process Development: Designing an inclusive, durable decision-making framework.
   

• Public Relations Risks: Anticipating donor, media, and external stakeholder responses.
   

• Stakeholder Engagement: Securing meaningful input without overburdening staff or stalling momentum.
   

• Clarity & Consistency: Establishing widely understood positions while keeping the mission central.
   

Committed to a “slow and right” approach, leadership prioritized people, communication, and Gospel-centered trust over speed.

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SOLUTION

From July–September 2025, the Navigators engaged Way Forth Collective to provide strategic thought partnership, process design, and communications support.

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Way Forth partnered with the Strategy and Integration team to:
 

• Align leadership on goals and success criteria.
   

• Co-develop a rollout plan for key initiatives ahead of major leadership meetings.
   

• Support communications strategy, sequencing, and cadence for internal and external audiences.
   

• Anticipate HR, PR, and legal implications.
   

• Equip leaders with tools to facilitate processing conversations rooted in clarity and trust.

DELIVERABLES

Strategic Alignment
 

• Kickoff session to align on goals and priorities

• In-person workshop to scope, sequence, and refine rollout

• Framework Roadmap & Tracker tailored to the initiative

• Gap analysis of communications plan and a cascade plan with cadence, timelines, and ownership

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Supporting Resources
 

• Scope Analysis Memo (HR, Legal, PR considerations)

• Needs & Risks Assessment Outline

• Implications Worksheets with tailored questions

• Pre- and Post-Conversation Surveys (Microsoft Forms)

• Meetings Tracker tool

• Testimonial Matrix for peer organization interviews

• Success metrics for processing conversations

• Organized SharePoint inventory
   

Reusable Templates & Guides

• Framework Roadmap, Phase Trackers, and Excel instructions

• Reformatted Change Communications Plan Template
   

Thought Partnership

• Guidance on decision-making pathways

• Strategies for engaging subject matter experts in change management

• Structuring PMOs and CMOs within organizations

• Stakeholder engagement emphasizing trust and clarity of intent

OUTCOME

In just two months, the Navigators gained:
 

• A clear, aligned roadmap for framework development and rollout

• Strengthened communications strategies to build consistency and trust

• Reusable tools and templates applicable to both this framework and future sensitive conversations

• Greater leadership readiness to navigate high-stakes dynamics with integrity
   

The engagement not only prepared the Navigators for upcoming leadership discussions but also equipped them with durable processes for future challenges. By combining clarity, intentionality, and compassion, the work helped set the organization on a path toward greater unity, Gospel-centered trust, and sustainable alignment in the face of complex cultural and theological issues.