Equipping Leaders To Multiply

Sloppy Leadership = Missed Opportunities

There is nothing more painful to a leader than a missed opportunity.  How many times do you catch yourself saying, “Oh, we should have…” 

If you’re saying it frequently then it’s an indication that you aren’t leading with intentionality.  Sometimes leaders depend heavily on their intuition or pride themselves on leading from the hip, but this spontaneous style of leadership can cost the organization in the long run.  A series of missed opportunities is evidence of sloppy leadership and hurts your organization little by little over time.  Leading with intentionality is a discipline that will minimize your regrets as a leader.

Asking one single question prior to a meeting or event can lower your regret quotient – What do we want to accomplish?  So…

  • prior to your next team meeting ask “What do we want to accomplish?”
  • prior to your next weekend service ask “What do we want to accomplish?”
  • prior to your next staff retreat ask “What do we want to accomplish?”
  • prior to your next one on one meeting with a direct report ask “What do we want to accomplish?”
  • prior to your next ministry event ask “What do we want to accomplish?”
  • prior to sending team members to the next conference ask “What do we want to accomplish?”

It may sound simplistic, but taking the time to thoroughly answer this question can protect you from some missed opportunities.

Today’s Personal Leadership Challenge:  Ask yourself this question prior to every meeting this week and see  if it leads to greater intentionality in your leadership.


Reader Comments

  1. Mac, I think we really do share many leadership philosophies. I have been working on a post called “Asking What Do I Want To Accomplish Changes Everything”. You beat me to the punch on that one. Good post. I agree.

  2. Very insightful blog post. Thanks for sharing Mac. So true concerning the impact little by little. Missed opportunities may not manifest themselves in one BIG failure, but will impact over time. Thanks again.

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