By Allen White
Have you ever thought about how you might be wasting your own time? You see the problem with most pastors and leaders is they are multi-talented. The problem with being multi-talented is that we tend to depend on ourselves and not bring other people into the equation. For instance, if you write your small group discussion guide because you’re able to do it, then you may or may not invite other people to help you write the discussion guide, because you can do it. But, is this the best use of your time?
In the work that I do producing curriculum, there are things that I can and cannot do. I can direct a video shoot, but I can’t shoot the video — which is a good thing because I bring in very talented people that can do that. I can write a study guide from cover to cover, but I can’t do the graphic design and layout. So I have a terrific designer who does all of that for me including the cover of my new book, Exponential Groups.
What are you the most gifted to do? Is it teaching? Leading? Organizing? What is your number one gift to the kingdom?
Now imagine that this is your only gift and that you have no other gifts. How would you get things done?
You would delegate. You would find people that have expertise in things where you lack expertise. You would find people who need to grow in their gifts through using them. You would equip and develop them.
So here’s a question for you, why not delegate everything that is not part of your primary gifting? If you’re a leader but not a teacher, then mentor someone else to do training for you. If you are an organizer, but you are not heavily relational, then find relational people to coach your leaders.
There are times when we need to do things that are not in the center of our wheelhouse as far as our gifts and abilities go. Those are called emergencies. That’s when we need to put forth the extra effort to do things that we are not truly gifted or called to do simply because they have to be done.
Everyday should not be an emergency. Everyday you should exercise your primary gifts. Everyday you should delegate everything else to somebody else either staff or volunteer. There’s a reason for the name “Tyranny of the Urgent,” it’s a tyrant. You can’t do your best working for a tyrant. Step back. Clear your head. Stop the emergency. And, get on with doing what you do best, not what you do least.
There’s a saying that you don’t ask $100 per hour people to do $10 per hour tasks. Now before you ask for a raise or start thinking too much of yourself, realize that there are things that only you can do and there are things that a lot of other people can do. The more you focus yourself on only the things that you can do, then the better you will serve your church, your people, and the more satisfied you will be with your life and ministry.
I’m not going to make a conclusion. I’m going to give you an assignment. Take out a piece of paper or start a new document. Draw a line down the middle. On the left side write “To Do.” On the right side write “Stop Doing.” Be sure to include all of the tasks that are not in your primary gifting in the “Stop Doing” column.
When you’re done with the list, take a look at all the items in the Stop Doing column. Now write down the names of people who could do these things at least 30% as well as you can. Then stop doing them. Your timeline is immediately. You don’t need to ask for permission. You just need to make sure that things get done — regardless of who does them.
You can thank me later.
Allen White has been a Pastor for over 25 years. He is the author of “Exponential Groups,” and is a small group coach, consultant and blogger at AllenWhite.org.
