If you are tempted to say that you “think all the time” may I kindly say that you really don’t. None of us do. The human brain is a computer that can operate much of our lives on autopilot. Thought requires deliberate intentionality.
Think time is similar to prayer and tithing, you don’t have to give everything, but if you give little the results follow suit, and if you are generous and consistent the outcomes are amazing.
Set think time according to your personality and responsibilities. You may prefer a three to four hour block once a week or thirty minutes a day. There is no set formula, just make sure you put think time in your calendar.
Here are a few common examples of think time topics:
- Shaping the culture of your church and staff
- Recovering from a financial setback
- Developing vision and strategy
- Discerning a complex biblical/theological question
- Improving or innovating a ministry
- Writing a sermon or leadership talk
- Sequencing the communication of a significant or difficult decision
- Resolving complex relational conflict, etc.
At the core, think time for a leader is like a puzzle we’re always trying to solve. It feels more like chess than checkers. We work on seeing several moves ahead trying to find the best solution to each problem or response to an opportunity.
Note: Always write when you think. It’s the primary way to bring clarity to your thinking.
3. Solving Problems
Leaders make progress, solve problems and help people. Every chapter of the book of Acts makes that clear. What problem are you solving today?
Solving problems is one of the main categories we work on in our think time but its so important that it deserves its own space on the list. It’s really the overall category for most of our think time.
Let me be “captain obvious” for a minute. The difference between thinking through how to solve a problem and solving a problem is actually doing it. Duh. I know. But far too often leaders think about it but don’t do it.
It’s surprising, but yes, leaders often know the solution but won’t set it in motion. Many churches are one tough call away from a breakthrough.
Successful leadership depends on taking action with positive outcomes.
Thinking about solving a problem and not solving the problem is like not thinking about it at all.
