by Dr. Richard Blackaby
Leaders aren’t necessarily the ones with all of the answers. They are often the people with the best questions.
We live in a society that has been grossly dumbed down. We don’t need to think any more. There are others who will gladly do that for us. Just turn on your television to any of the news channels. It used to be that newscasters related the news while you formed an opinion. Now they do that for you too. Armed with a battery of self-proclaimed “experts” sitting on panels, these pundits freely express their opinions to an increasingly gullible and undiscerning audience.
That is why leaders must think. And the best way to think is to ask good questions and to refuse simplistic answers. How do leaders do this? Let’s look at some basic questions:
Who? That is a question commonly asked by crime detectives. But it behooves leaders to ask the question as well. For example, who should take on this assignment? Should it be me? Should it be someone else? Just because I could do the job, should I? Will assuming responsibility for something I could do, distract me from the tasks I must do? And what about those I enlist to work with me? Will any qualified person suffice? Or will carelessly enlisting someone on to my leadership team throw the entire group out of sync? Many a great effort has been thwarted because the wrong people were recruited to help. Leaders must regularly ask the “who” question.
Why? That question puts me in mind of some four-year-olds! But leaders routinely neglect to ask this. Many leaders could have avoided burnout if only they had asked this crucial three-letter-query. “Why am I doing this? Is it because I should be, or because I feel needed and appreciated when I do?” “Why am I working late again? Because it is necessary or because I am addicted to making money and accumulating the possessions associated with success?” Leaders have exhausted themselves undertaking tasks that were unnecessary simply because they never took time to ask this question. Leaders cannot behave like George Mallory who quipped, “Because it’s there” when questioned why he was attempting to climb Mount Everest. Rather, they must relentlessly ask “why” before they invest their time, money, or human resources into a major project.
What? This is the compelling question. “What must we do?” God created each person for a reason. We have a divine calling, that, when we pursue it, brings God glory. Yet for many people, they have never found the “divine what.” So they default to merely earning a living, or staying busy, or building a comfortable life. As leaders enter each new day, they must ask, “And what should I do today?” Incredibly, Jesus confessed that He did nothing on His own initiative (John 5:19). Rather, He trusted His Father to reveal to Him what He should do. Jesus never assumed He knew. He was constantly watching for any heavenly signal that revealed what He should do next. It matters not how effectively or efficiently you are doing the wrong thing!
Where? It is generally wasteful to do the right thing in the wrong place. Many leaders have faithfully toiled in the wrong organization. Perhaps God led them to their position years ago, but these leaders never checked to see if they were meant to remain there indefinitely. At times God calls us to new assignments, in new locations. Some pastors would never entertain the possibility that God might ask them to relocate to a county or state different than the one in which they were raised. Where to invest your effort, as well your organization’s resources are questions of paramount importance. Effective leaders focus. Outstanding leaders focus where they can be most productive.
How? It is quite possible to do the right thing the wrong way. Just ask Moses or King Saul. They both sought to serve God; they just did it in an unacceptable manner. God made it clear that His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We cannot assume we know how things ought to be done. Too many leaders strive to know what they should do, but then do not stay in God’s presence long enough to also learn how they are to do it. You sense God wants your church to build a new auditorium? Great! But doing it the incorrect way could cost you a third of your membership. Better to do it God’s way. The only way to accomplish that is to ask Him how. Don’t assume because God led you to accomplish a task a certain way last time means He wants you to do it that same way the next time (Once again, check with Moses).
When? It is also quite possible to do the right thing, the right way, but at the wrong time. Great leaders have an instinctive sense of timing. Being a little early or late can completely undermine an otherwise great effort. If you are going to approach God to ask about “what” and “how,” stay before Him long enough to also learn “when.” Timing is everything.
Any questions?