Excerpted from “Leading Change Without Losing It: Five Strategies That Can Revolutionize How You Lead Change When Facing Opposition” (reThink Group)
It would be great if there were some practical game plan for keeping focused on outsiders: “Do these three simple things and you will never lose focus.” But focus isn’t that simple. This is as much about your heart and self-discipline as anything.
Sometimes when something as theoretical as “focus” is at issue, the best way I stay on track is to remind myself of the “why” behind the “what.” For example, in order to stay in reasonable shape, I remind myself God controls the length of my life, but my diet and exercise choices have a direct impact on the quality of the life He gives me. That helps me a lot.
Similarly, when it comes to focusing on who you want to reach, not who you want to keep, the why behind the what helps keep my focus sharper.
So let’s review some basics we all know. First, there is a compelling reason God wants us to reach outsiders: He sacrificed His Son out of love for the world. The mission of the early church reflected this. The thrust of Scripture and the movement of the Gospel is outward. If the twelve disciples had focused on who they were going to keep rather than who they were going to reach, they might have quit after losing Judas or spent the next decade trying to get Thomas to quit doubting and Peter to stop being so impulsive. We stand in a long line of leaders who have been entrusted with a Gospel whose central movement is outward.
Biblical reasons should be enough, for sure, but there are also practical reasons to keep focused on outsiders. I have come to believe that leaders who focus on who they want to reach have less quit in them, and discover a well of deeper inspiration, more powerful motivation, and greater hope. As a result, I believe leaders who keep a focus on outsiders are more resilient than leaders who don’t. When you strive toward a goal that is bigger than yourself, bigger than your congregation, and bigger than your own wants and needs, you discover a drive you didn’t know you had.
For many of the same reasons, focusing on who you want to reach creates a far more compelling storyline for your vision. And outward-focused vision is simply more compelling than a vision that is self-focused or rooted in the status quo. People rally around visions that are about others. Despite our self-centeredness, there is something deep inside each of us that wants to make our lives about something bigger than ourselves. Great leaders call that out of us and motivate us around that. If you want to create a vision that inspires others, don’t make it about yourself or simply the needs of your organization.