Doing Less To Do More
Last week I (Jeanne) hit one of those common walls that leaders hit. I looked at my to-do list and realized there were far too many boxes to check than I had hours left in my day. I confess that I am an activator and achiever and so often my first response is to come up with as many possible ways to push past the gift of my human limits and throw on my superwoman cape of capacity and power through. But I know that when I do that it leaves me feeling more exhausted, lacking in inspiration, impatient, and ultimately unsatisfied.
Every day I awake to a list of tasks that are calling out to me to accomplish them. I don’t suspect that there is a day in my near future when there will be nothing on the list. Starting a church, leading a ministry, raising a family, and following a dream happens through the constant accomplishing of tasks and goals one day at a time. But it should never be done alone. I know that if I am the only one looking at the list and tackling the list I am breaking one of our Core leadership Values for the staff & volunteers of Soul City Church.
Doing less is Doing more! Always be looking for someone that you can develop into leadership by giving away appropriate authority instead of developing a follower by giving away a task.
Far too many church leaders are burning out and giving up because they only give away tasks – not authority. Maybe you have hit this wall too – maybe you’re at it right now. My hunch is that there are some amazing people right around you that are hungry to lead with you, not just accomplish a task.
So how can you DO MORE by DOING LESS this week?


marc mantasoot
I love the distinction between giving authority and giving tasks. I wonder what it means to give away authority. I wonder how a leader slowly develops another's capacity for authority. I 'm wondering what it looks like. Maybe it still means the giving of tasks, but with more transfer of vision, values, and character through modeling (time spent together), conversations, questions, tests, projects, etc.
Aug 11, 2009 @ 11:26 pm