Leading any organization is challenging, but leading a church where the workers are majority volunteers can create the desire for change in a leader. Yet, change can only come once the leader understands that what they do and how they do it are as important as achieving the goal. As a leader, you might be driven by the goal, but do not allow the dream to override relationships or relational experiences for those who interact with you over time.
Capture the Moment by Staying Present.
As a leader, I have had more seasons than I care to count, which allowed my dreams to get in the way of my current reality. I have seen the disappointment in my wife when I did not make it home in time for dinner or missed a recital practice because I allowed “more important” things to get in the way of my family. Learning the hard way, I realized that my priorities were out of balance and that what seemed necessary today may not stand the test of time. Do not read into what is not being said, but the time of a leader is more valuable than a leader gives credit.
What is God’s dream inside of you? Chasing a goal and accomplishing a dream is never more critical than finding balance in managing your time and pursuits. Stay present while playing with your children or talking to a church member. Do not allow your mind to wander into conversations or a to-do list while focusing on the essential thing right before you. Countless leaders have failed not because they did too much but because they needed to focus on the small thing before them. It was the small act that led to a big failure. I pray you keep moving toward your dream but do it in a way that honors your time with others.
Complete the Task and Move Closer to the Goal.
There is a saying that you can look inside anyone’s car or office and tell what type of leader they are. Why? Because the disorganized leader lives a life that fails to prioritize the most crucial task, while the organized leader has a clear structure. Regardless of how many tasks are parked on your to-do list right now, you need to realize you cannot accomplish every job simultaneously and still maintain the quality expected of your work.
Prioritizing your to-do list enables you to move up and down the list the most essential tasks in your current season. Currently, I am leading my church through a significant revitalization rework. Viewing our situation, I realized they needed more time to prepare for everything, but they were ready for something.
I took over 25 tasks that needed to be completed, divided them into three major phases, and then prioritized that list from greatest need to least. Each significant task in each phase is important, but not all have the same value at each stage. To move closer to the goal, you must find balance, complete the task before you, observe the issue, and begin working toward that goal.
Compare Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.
A list is just a list unless acted upon. As you progress toward your goals, spend time quarterly or more frequently self-evaluating where you currently are and where you want to be over time. In this self-evaluation period, observe what brings you joy daily and write those things down. What part of your routine brings you stress or even laziness? Write those down.
Then observe what is related to the goal. If you need to change the task or the goal, you can change the mission or the purpose. Far too many leaders stay focused on the wrong thing because it was their dream a decade ago, but today they find themselves in a different season of life.
Over the last several years, I had the honor of writing five books, teaching and training on church revitalization and launching a podcast directly related to what I love. Several colleagues have asked how I did it. The simple answer is I set a 10-year goal with benchmarks and have slowly worked toward that goal. Sure, there have been times when there was no progress, and other times when everyone saw it. Consistency has been my driving force. Consistency has enabled me to evaluate where I am at to where I want to go, and I keep moving forward.
As a leader, make it a practice to hone in on your calling and focus on everything you do to accomplish that goal. Spend time evaluating and reacting to what you find and adjust yourself to stay on track.
Celebrate Your Accomplishments.
As a leader, you might only be satisfied once you complete the entire journey toward your dream, but it is important to pause and celebrate what you have accomplished as you go along. Use the acronym P.A.U.S.E. to help you remember to celebrate.
Praise what God has done and will do in the future. Too many leaders forget how far they have come and miss out on what God is doing even now. Step into your new season by looking back to celebrate your accomplishments and look up to the one who provided them.
Act to draw attention toward God, others and what they have done to help move the ministry forward. Be a leader who celebrates others before yourself while acknowledging God and using others to help you as a leader.
Understand that moving an organization or dream forward takes time, but stay on task doing your part. Do not succumb to the temptation of rushing, but slow down, do your part and allow God to move.
Savor what you have accomplished before you move on to the next thing. Many leaders miss the mark because they have not marked down what they have accomplished and then fail to recognize the move of God before chasing after the next thing.
Excel in what God has called you to do. Focus on the God task and march forward to complete the job. Celebrate milestones along the way while you focus on accomplishing the goal.
God has incredible plans for your goals, so focus on God and allow him to use you in a mighty way.