Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Identifying Your Next Level

Since I began the children’s ministers leadership club over 15 years ago I have talked a lot about going to your next level and helping volunteers find their next level.

But how do you do that?

The first step is to determine where you want to go. I’ve found I can’t determine my present level until I determine where I want to end up. Study the leaders you esteem. Set goals for where you want to be as a leader. The best thing I can do for those I lead is to help them set goals! If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time.

The second step is determining your present leadership level. If you don’t know where you are right now, you’re lost. Remember you’re never as wonderful as you think you are and things are never as bad as you think they are. It’s always somewhere in the middle. Be realistic by taking time to examine and rate your efficiency and abilities in every area of your life. I evaluate my life in four main areas. 1. My spiritual life. 2. My Family 3. My Finances, and 4. My work efficiency, innovation & excellence.

One I have determined where I want to end up and I’ve identified where I think I am I must identify the steps needed to go from one to the other. These steps are my next levels of leadership. Lately I’ve realized that all levels are judged by performance. Here are my secrets for upping my performance, I learned them from my personal trainer.

1. Test the weight. Determine if the task you or other are managing is light, medium, or heavy

2. Adjust the weight where it is challenging yet manageable. There’s time I add responsibility but there are times I make it lighter

3. Don’t go it alone take a spot or a lift up (Get help) Read a book, make a phone call, get a coach but never be too mighty to ask for help.

4. Once you found a task or performance level manageable add more each set. If you don’t push yourself to raise the bar you won’t.

5. Don’t do the same exercises (Mix it up) same actions bring same results.

6. Set new goals constantly. I love to shatter my personal best. Remember the goal you had yesterday will become old hat as you keep improving as a leader.

Your thinking drives performance. What you do is controlled by how you think. My trainer is always watching and correcting my form in the weight room. Don’t be afraid to make corrections to your actions by thinking different.

I ask my self these questions on a regular basis:

1. How bad do I want to improve & grow?
2. Do my actions prove it?
3. Do I have time for everything I want to have time for?
4. What’s robbing me from the time I need to have?
5. Do my wants line up with the leaders above me?

Never be satisfied with where you are until you have achieved your goal and have finished your race. Everyone has a next level. There’s always a next level if you don’t grow weary in well doing.

1 comment:

  1. It's amazing the soace between #1 and #2. I find myself wanting and desiring change and growth, so I sail through Q #1 , but then I hit Q #2 like a brick wall - Do my actions "prove it"? When I honestly look at them and like you taught us to write them down sometimes I have to say, "not bad enough". I noticed there isn't a 1.5 Question that says; "Do my intentions prove it?"

    I've said, "I am passionate about this....", but the word passion means "way of suffering" Am I willing to pay the price, sacrifice, suffer even to get to the place where God wants me?
    This is a great list, Coach. I don't look forward to #4 - that will be a reality check.

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