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Expand the Mission

Leadership

As is typically the case, things became human fast. The initial excitement created huge momentum, and the number of people signing up was unbelievable. It was thousands at a time. They vowed to pool their resources, share everything they had in support of each other and the mission. It was going great until...

Once the early church expanded beyond the control and influence of the core founders and early followers, people of different cultures, cities, and languages all had ideas about the right way to do things. They had thoughts about this, that, and the other thing. It was about who gets what and protecting their turf. It distracted the leaders from the real mission and onto the administrative tasks of a growing organization. They needed help!

"There were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, 'We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.'" (Acts 6:1-2)

As I look back over my career and consider the magnetic pull of the things that have distracted me from the core mission, it's crazy.

That said, those issues are real as well and have to be dealt with:

- Does team A get more attention than team B?

- Why do they get a desk by the window?

- I don't like the dress code.

- She doesn't communicate well.

- I need more budget

- They aren’t pulling their weight

- He talks too much

What about this? What about that?

It's a vortex with such pull, Dyson should find a way to package it!

The classic definition of management is the proper allocation of limited resources to achieve a desired result. Those limited resources are people, property, and capital. At any given moment, one or more of those resources are limited to the point that tough decisions must be made. The job of the leader is to tend to those limitations while keeping the team's eyes and work effort focused on the desired result. That's where delegation comes in. You have to trust others to handle the distractions while you focus on what is most important.

And remember, when resources are limited, not everyone will be happy with the allocation. That is okay, and they will buy in if you adequately explain the why behind the decision, how it helps the overall mission, and honor the individuals along the way. That builds trust, and trust leads to support and loyalty.

As the team and the family grow, you will have discontent because they are made up of people, and people have people issues. And while sometimes distracting, those issues are important, especially to the people who raise them. People are also your most valuable resource, so invest in them and don't ignore the issues. Build a structure around them so that they can be handled. You have to equip, set clear expectations, and trust the team you assemble to handle their responsibilities. You can't do it all. You have to say no, or not my monkey often, to preserve the success of the team.

Another limited resource is your time and attention. Build the right team, and your limited resources can stay focused on the desired result, while at the same time raising other leaders capable of expanding the mission.

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