2. Upholding Fierce Allegiance To Your Purpose and Priorities Over Your Preferences
We all have things that we find more enjoyable than certain other tasks and responsibilities.
I have an unusual relationship with email. I’m fast at it and I like to be helpful. If I know the person I imagine myself talking with them, so I enjoy it. Plus, I can “check” something off the list.
That doesn’t mean I should be doing the email.
The truth is, responding to email feels productive and is easier than doing my higher priorities that will make a bigger difference. It’s a perfect storm for a Type-A person.
As leaders, our ability to lean into personal discipline over personal preference will always help us choose the right details.
We can still do the “fun” stuff, but as my mom was fond of saying, “Eat your vegetables first.” (Hey, I was a kid then and I didn’t like brussels sprouts or bell peppers!)
3. Knowing the Difference Between Professional Excellence and Perfectionism Is Essential
- Perfectionistic tendencies are the habits where the extra effort does not create better results.
- Professional excellence are the habits that increase the overall return of effort and energy according to measurable outcomes of your vision.
In other words, high standards increase results, but over-investing in unproductive details will drain your energy and slows down progress.
Candidly, the difference can be a fine line. And it’s not always easy to see that line clearly, so I’ll ask a friend or mentor around me. They can spot it in a second, try that if you find yourself unsure.
4. Your Personal Growth Determines What You Are Willing to Let Go Of
Is it difficult for you to let go of things you know you should delegate to others? You’re not alone. What should you be handing off to a trusted team member?
What holds you back?
- Desire to control?
- Confident you can do it better?
- Don’t trust the team?
- It’s fun and you like to do it?
- Something else?
Be careful not to hold on to certain “pet” details in a ministry that prevent the full empowerment of a staff member to lead that ministry.
Years ago, when we were moving into a new and large building our senior pastor asked me to build and temporarily lead a world class usher team. I was on it!! Two years later he asked why I was still leading it. Honest answer, I was having a blast. As XP it had been a long time since I was hands on with a ministry and I loved it. So I handed it off to a staff leader but kept my fingers in a few details that I really cared about. That was a mistake. I needed to let it go in order to fully empower that leader!
5. Elevating Human Kindness Is Rarely a Waste of Time
As Christ-followers and spiritual leaders, we might tend to small details that don’t look like a good investment of time, but it meets a human need at a heart level. I think Jesus gives us a two thumbs up!
What I’m saying here isn’t throwing the idea of this post out the window.
There are details that matter and details that don’t.
A long-time friend of mine says “If you just made a decision and no one gets mad, you made a decision that doesn’t matter.” (Gerald Brooks—Love you friend!)
Some things really don’t matter, but people always do.
Just keep your heart engaged for those moments that may not seem strategically the best use of your time here on earth, but heaven might see it differently.
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
