The Right Tool for the Job

If you find yourself in a leadership position within your organization, at some point you will find yourself in the pressure point of having to reach your goals.  You were given your role to grow the team, build the organization, create a system that works.  Yet you are confronted with people to please, problems to solve, and obstacles to overcome.

What most of us do as a logical next step is we do what is expected of us.  We follow the prescribed strategy and system that is in place.  We ask our peers what they are doing to succeed.  We think that if we just keep doing more of the same, but try harder, that it will get us to finally achieve the growth and success we are responsible to bring.

However, let me challenge you that many times, using the same thinking, same procedure may not give you the break-through success you seek.  You may need a different tool for this task. 

 

Think of yourself as a handyman (or woman - my wife is actually more handy than I am 😃 ).  You have a tool belt strapped around you and you are accessing the job that needs done at the house.  You see a screw is loose on a cabinet in the kitchen.  As you look more closely, you notice that the screw is a Phillips screw.  Now, you wouldn’t pull out your hammer and begin hammering the screw, would you? (OK - maybe some of you who are impatient enough may!)  Rather, you would look through your tool belt and find your Phillips screwdriver and tighten the screw! 

This analogy has helped me get unstuck when I am neck-deep in an objective I am trying to accomplish..  That is, I remind myself to employ what is my greatest resource, the RIGHT TOOL I have at my disposal:

We have been given an incredible mind by God, Who created us.  God is the Great Creator.  He is Creative.  The Bible starts off by revealing God’s very creative nature:

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth.

The Bible also says that we, His creation are made in His image.

Genesis 1:27 So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;

male and female he created them.

So, when we are creative, we are actually using the very nature, the actual tool that God gave us.  Our creativity is one of the attributes that sets us apart from all of God’s creation.  It is our ability to ask questions, to design something fresh, to think out of the box that makes us, as the writer, David says “we are fearfully and wonderfully made.” Psalm 139

When you are in the crunch of having to produce results, but feel stuck and stifled, consider the following:

Don’t Tell Me What You Don’t Have

Pastor Ashley Murphy thinking out of the box on bringing a fresh feel to our Student Experience - it was awesome!

Don’t focus energy on what you think you lack.  Rather, immediately take an inventory of what you DO have.  As a Pastor, I always keep in mind Pastor friends I have who do NOT have a building to meet in, who do NOT have a budget, who do NOT have any volunteers.  I quickly begin thanking God for all of the wonderful resources I am entrusted with by Christ Fellowship to accomplish the ministry of the church.  Sometimes, when I want to tease my two teenage kids at home, I remind them “isn’t this WIFI nice?” or, “don’t you appreciate this wonderful air condition?” They give me a silly frown, but I like to remind them to never take things for granted.  The truth is, when you begin writing down even the most fundamental things that you DO have, you begin to realize that you likely have enough to affect change towards the results you seek to achieve.

Tell Me What You DO Have

Margarita Rosario not only sings on our worship team, she develops leaders for our church!

Not only think of what resources you have, like a building, equipment, a name brand, but also think of what you can offer personally.  What you have IN YOU is AWESOME.  You forget how “fearfully and wonderfully made” you are! Remember: God made you, and He

doesn’t make junk!  Take time to describe your personality, your strengths, your gifts and skills you have learned.  If you are with your inner-circle team, go around the room and take time to acknowledge and remind every person their uniqueness and their value to the team.  This exercise is not meant not only to affirm the group; it is really meant to point to the powerful assets you have, that your team has.  

Mikeala Danchenko has found her niche in singing in her church

As we mature through life, we should begin zeroing in on the two or three key strengths we possess, much like different tools in our tool belt.  When you collaborate together with your team, and begin identifying the gifts and strengths of each person, you realize that you have an entire utility belt of tools to tackle the objective!

Tell Me What You See

When you look at your goals, are you looking at achieving your objectives straight on, from the same perspective? Are you simply doing the same tasks over and over, but not feeling like your getting traction? How about starting with a clean slate, allowing some new ideas, fresh thinking to happen in your mind.  Many times, I can be in problem-solving mode, or in the rut of managing the day to day tasks, that I turn off my heart and my mind.  Creativity is like a tool that must be used, it must be kept sharp.  Don’t forget to plan dreaming sessions and collaboration gatherings with key people.  This is not extra work, this is essential TO YOUR WORK.  Fresh thinking and different perspective is so needed in your mix to help inspire and keep thinking relevant.  Creativity is often sparked by people asking great questions, and then listening.  When I ask you “what do you see?”, do you see the obstacle, or the opportunity? Do you see pressure, or the potential?

Tell Me Why You Fear

Usually, the reason we are not willing to think creatively is that we fear failure.  Or, we fear getting in trouble by the leadership over us.  Or, we fear looking stupid (this makes me think of some of the art creations I made in elementary school - horrible 😃).  Indeed, all of these fears are viable, and are unavoidable.  But I am contending with you that you NEED CREATIVITY.  It is the missing ingredient that will give lift to your objective.  Creativity opens up your mind and widens your view to new possibilities.  Don’t let fear of failure choke your creativity.  Don’t let fear of displeasing your supervisor paralyze you to present a daring idea.  Don’t let fear of looking stupid hold you back from taking a calculated risk.  The truth is - people will applaud you for your courage to be creative!

Make an appointment this week with you and your inner-circle people/team to BE CREATIVE.  You will begin to see great results that will help you achieve the success you seek!