Do What Only You Can Do.
“What can only I do?”
It is a mantra that I repeat multiple times throughout my day. It’s not new, but it is essential.
- It emerges when I find myself avoiding the big leadership boulder that only I can push up the hill.
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- It emerges when I find myself distracted by facebook or twitter, avoiding the vision initiative that only I can tackle.
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- It emerges when I spend time checking my inbox multiple times throughout my day – instead of setting a specific time in the morning and late afternoon to open my inbox – give it some love – and then walk away from it and attack a problem that needs a thoughtful solution that only I can bring.
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- It emerges when I find myself spending way to long thinking about how something sounds or appears instead of getting the raw meat of the idea down on paper so that I can move on to a specific task that has a time oriented deadline attached to it.
I’m only a few months into this holy and helpless calling of starting Soul City and I am already becoming acutely aware of what I have heard form my courageous friends that have travelled this road before me – There will never be a day when all the boxes are checked, the tasks are completed, the mission is finished – It just won’t ever happen. That is the beauty of being an entrepreneur. There is always something in front of you – a course that has not been charted or a new adventure that needs to be started. But if I waste all of my energy doing tasks that someone else can do – I will quickly begin to burn up my vision, insight, and energy on what is not only non-important, but non-specific to me.
So one of the things I am relearning daily is the art and skill of finding great people and developing them through the giving away of leadership possibilities early on in the process. Of course as the Leader out in front, you have given up everything. You have given up your home, your salary, your comfort, and more time than you want to admit bringing this Vision into existence. So there is going to be a part of you that thinks you are the only one that can do something since you are the only one that is sacrificing EVERYTHING!!!! And even that thought reveals a flawed perspective. You should be inviting those already on or about to join your team into that same level of sacrifice. Sacrifice is NOT something that only you should do.
Remember – This is not your thing. This is not YOUR church or YOUR vision. It is God’s. Don’t ever forget that. Don’t ever start believing that you are the only one that can lead, cast vision, implement strategies… you need to do what only you can do and give away the rest… and if that list totals more than about 8 – 10 specific things… then you are probably going to be in trouble.
Here’s 3 great questions to ask yourself when giving a task away.
- Is the task a way to actually see if the person has a skill that maybe isn’t being utilized in the church.
- Is the task a way to develop a relationship with a new volunteer.
- Is the task a way to give away more leadership – which will in turn create more authority and ownership of the vision instead of followership and implementers of the vision.
So here’s to giving things away this week! (BTW – If you’re connected to Soul City Church…look out! You’re probably getting a call this week.)
Graham Brenna
Well put. It's important to remember that we aren't the only ones that can do our job.
Oct 21, 2009 @ 3:41 pm
Kyle Reed
I have a friend that moved to Chicago 2 months ago, cannot find a job and is looking to serve at a church. He has contacted several churches and they are not getting back to him. He was a youth minister for a couple of years and is now looking to just help and serve at a church. Would you be interested?
Also, great reminder for me as well. I get pretty distracted by twitter and email. It is a great way to kill a day and an idea.
Oct 21, 2009 @ 3:50 pm
human3rror
booya.
Oct 21, 2009 @ 4:13 pm
Eric
i second that booya. great post. crap … now i'm convicted / encouraged / inspired / challenged / kicked in the teeth.
Oct 21, 2009 @ 4:43 pm
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Oct 21, 2009 @ 12:45 pm
Jarrett Stevens
Kyle – Why don't you send his contact info to info@soulcitychurch.com
or better yet, just have him fill out – http://jotform.com/form/91994113167
Thanks.
Oct 21, 2009 @ 7:46 pm
Jarrett Stevens
Well said Jon. Well said.
Oct 21, 2009 @ 7:46 pm
Jarrett Stevens
Dang. Glad the post helped! You'll never guess who wrote it…I'll give you a hint…it's not me…
Oct 21, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
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Oct 21, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
Annie Ingram
Thanks for this reminder. i've kept that "do what only you can do" mantra in my mind and heart as i've been tackling the next big hill at Venture church in CA… and just had this convo with one of the ladies on my team…the importance of handing off responsibilities to volunteers so they catch the vision and take on the weight and joy for future outcomes. BUT, it's something we must continue to refocus.. cause left to myself… i waste time on what others can do (and rob them of the joy of ownership and involvement). I'm reminded that being a leader requires me to lead myself well first, tackle the issue and/ create the vision for others to follow. Remembering this, my inbox and fb can wait. It's not urgent. So thanks for the reminder and honest sharing – it was refreshing.
Oct 26, 2009 @ 11:57 pm