Golf is an EXPENSIVE sport!  Honestly, I’m not the greatest fan of golf.  I only like a few aspects of the game and lugging a heavy bag of clubs around a lawn looking for a tiny ball and hole to put it in all day isn’t one of them.  Honestly, the best parts of the game are driving the ball, putting and driving around in the golf cart.

All three of these skills can better be implemented in any reputable driving range/putt-putt/go-cart facility without having to walk around aimlessly all afternoon (Here’s a million-dollar idea – anyone want to partner with me on this).  If you want to master golf, there’s a steep price you must pay mentally, physically, and financially.  The same could be said for those who aspire to be great leaders.

Can you drink of the cup that I drink of… (Mark 10:38)

No one should aspire to lead God’s work if they are not prepared to pay a price greater than his contemporaries and colleagues are willing to pay.  True leadership always exacts a heavy toll on the leader and the more effective their leadership is, the higher the price to be paid.  The cost of every great achievement is not paid in a lump.  It is bought on a payment plan, with installments paid daily.

1^st Installment: Loneliness

From its very nature, the lot of the leader must be a lonely one.  They must always be ahead of their followers.  Human nature craves company, and it is only natural to wish to share with others the heavy burdens of responsibility and care.  It’s often heartbreaking to have to make important decisions, which affect the lives of others alone.  This is one of the heaviest prices to pay, but it must be paid.

Moses paid this price for his leadership – alone on the mountain…alone in the plain…alone when criticized.  The socially conscious Apostle Paul (He would’ve loved Facebook & Twitter) was a lonely man who experienced the bitterness of being misunderstood by his contemporaries, misrepresentation by his enemies, and desertion by his friends.

“Most of the world’s great souls have been lonely,” wrote A.W. Tozer.  Leaders must be people who, while welcoming the friendship and support of all who can offer it, has sufficient inner resources to stand alone, even in the face of fierce opposition.

As a leader, how do you deal with loneliness?

Coming Soon…2^nd Installment: Self-Sacrifice

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The BlackBerry Bold (my preferred device), Apple iPhone 3GS, Palm Pre, and a host of other smartphones all promise to help us accomplish more.  Unfortunately, we live in an age where we’re encouraged to purchase gadgets that allow us to do many things at the same time.  It’s called multitasking and, in my opinion, it’s overrated and may be the greatest leadership lie ever told!  That’s right, I said it!

Multitasking is the ability of a person to perform more than one task at the same time.  When you’re going back and forth between complicated projects, it is impossible to focus properly on each one.  “Researches call this task switching, an action, that, itself, requires time and energy.  Depending on how many tasks you’re juggling, you could be losing 20 to 40 percent of your time, because you have to reengage your focus and thoughts.” (”Executive Control of Cognitive Processes in Task Switching,” Joshua S. Rubinstein, U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, Atlantic City, NJ; Journal of Experimental Psychology – Human Perception and Performance, Vol. 27, No. 4).

I’ve discovered both life and ministry require a certain amount of juggling.  Few days play out in an orderly, linear sequence.  Speaking on the phone to a member, client, or colleague while you’re reading a report or typing an e-mail might not cost you that much.  But, doing so while you’re preparing a report or message might.  At the very least, it will slow you down and result in sub par work.  To increase your focus and performance when concentration is critical, cut down on multitasking.

A few suggestions:

1. Turn off your e-mail alarm (who needs to be alerted to spam or useless facebook updates).  Check it regularly when it’s convenient for you – not when it interrupts you.
2. Block out time for projects that require intense focus such as sermon preparation, budget forecasting, vision/planning, writing, drafting a presentation, or conducting analysis.
3. Forward your calls to voice mail and close your door if necessary.  Let people know that you’re working on a project.  If you don’t have a door, put up a sign.
4. When possible, schedule important phone conversations when you know you’ll have no distractions.
5. Never work on something else while you’re on the phone.  The person on the other end knows when you’re writing an email while you talk, and it’s probably irritating him or her.

Organize your work so that you can do ONE THING at a time and do it well.  The payoff will be substantial!

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Michael Jackson, one of the most widely beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaves an indelible imprint on popular music and culture.  He is the King of Pop and we’ll forever remember you!

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES & MUSIC MICHAEL!
1958-2009

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