Intentional Leadership: Engaging Deeply for Lasting Impact

 

Summary

In today's discussion, we delved into the challenges leaders face as their responsibilities and organizations grow. As success increases, so do the demands on a leader's time, often leading to a decrease in accessibility. This is a natural progression, but it presents a dilemma: how to decide who gets your time and how much of it they receive. The temptation is to either try to be all things to all people or to become inaccessible to everyone. Neither extreme is effective. Instead, leaders must learn to manage this tension, which is a constant and ongoing challenge.

One of the key insights shared is the principle of "Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone." This approach allows leaders to remain engaged without being overwhelmed by the need to be fair to everyone. Fairness, as we often perceive it, can lead to disengagement. Instead, by focusing deeply on a few individuals or situations, leaders can make a significant impact. This principle is not about being fair but about being engaged and intentional with one's time and resources.

In practical terms, this means going deep rather than wide, investing in long-term relationships rather than short-term interactions, and giving time, not just money. These strategies help leaders to remain effective and engaged without spreading themselves too thin. The story of Reverend Hammock, who helped a young man pursue his calling despite limited resources, illustrates the profound impact of this principle. By choosing to invest deeply in one person, he changed the trajectory of that person's life and, by extension, the lives of many others.

Ultimately, the challenge is to resist the urge to be fair in the traditional sense and instead focus on meaningful engagement. By doing so, leaders can create a ripple effect that extends far beyond their immediate circle, potentially impacting the world in significant ways.

Key Takeaways:

1. Accessibility vs. Engagement: As leaders become more successful, they often become less accessible. The challenge is to manage this tension by deciding who gets your time and how much of it they receive. This requires intentionality and a willingness to prioritize meaningful engagement over trying to be all things to all people. [02:25]

2. Do for One What You Wish You Could Do for Everyone: This principle encourages leaders to focus deeply on a few individuals or situations rather than trying to be fair to everyone. By doing so, leaders can make a significant impact without becoming overwhelmed by the demands of fairness. [07:29]

3. Go Deep Rather Than Wide: Invest in long-term relationships and go deep with a few individuals rather than spreading yourself thin across many. This approach allows for more meaningful engagement and development, both personally and organizationally. [12:04]

4. Time Over Money: While financial contributions are important, giving your time can have a more profound impact. By investing time in individuals or causes, leaders can create lasting change and model the values they wish to see in their organizations. [13:40]

5. The Power of Symbolic Leadership: By choosing to engage deeply with a few, leaders set an example that can inspire others to do the same. This symbolic leadership can create a culture of engagement and intentionality that benefits the entire organization. [14:23]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:19] - Importance of Intentional Leadership
[01:24] - Responding to Increased Demands
[02:07] - Accessibility as a Casualty of Success
[02:56] - Common Reactions to Leadership Challenges
[04:12] - Managing the Tension of Accessibility
[05:16] - Awareness and Information Overload
[06:14] - Balancing Engagement and Disengagement
[07:29] - Do for One Principle
[08:37] - Fairness vs. Engagement
[09:11] - Practical Applications for Pastors
[10:05] - Leadership Development Strategies
[11:45] - Practical Tips for Engagement
[13:40] - Time vs. Money in Leadership
[15:18] - Story of Reverend Hammock
[18:36] - Impact of Doing for One

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1. Matthew 25:40 (NIV) - "The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"
2. Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV) - "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

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Observation Questions:

1. What are some of the challenges leaders face as their responsibilities and organizations grow, according to the sermon? [02:07]
2. How does the principle "Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone" help leaders manage their time and engagement? [07:29]
3. What story was shared in the sermon to illustrate the impact of investing deeply in one person? [15:18]
4. How does the sermon suggest leaders balance the tension between accessibility and engagement? [04:57]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the principle of "Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone" align with the teachings of Matthew 25:40? What does this suggest about the nature of leadership and service? [07:29]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that fairness can lead to disengagement? How does this compare to the biblical call to do good to all people in Galatians 6:9-10? [08:37]
3. How might the story of Reverend Hammock and Andy Stanley's father illustrate the long-term impact of focused investment in one individual? [15:18]
4. What does the sermon imply about the importance of going deep rather than wide in relationships and leadership? How does this relate to the biblical concept of sowing and reaping in Galatians 6:9-10? [12:04]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current commitments. Are there areas where you are trying to be all things to all people? How can you apply the principle of "Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone" in your life? [07:29]
2. Think of a time when you felt overwhelmed by the demands of fairness. How can you shift your focus from being fair to being engaged and intentional with your time? [08:37]
3. Identify one person or situation in your life where you can invest deeply. What steps can you take to make a significant impact in their life, similar to Reverend Hammock's story? [15:18]
4. Consider your current relationships. Are you spreading yourself too thin? How can you prioritize going deep rather than wide in your interactions? [12:04]
5. Reflect on how you allocate your resources. Are you giving more time or money? How can you balance these to create lasting change in your community or organization? [13:40]
6. How can you model symbolic leadership in your own context, setting an example for others to follow? What specific actions can you take to inspire a culture of engagement and intentionality? [14:23]
7. What is one practical step you can take this week to resist the urge to be fair in the traditional sense and instead focus on meaningful engagement? [18:36]

Devotional

Day 1: Balancing Accessibility and Engagement
As leaders grow in success, they often face the challenge of becoming less accessible due to increased demands on their time. This tension requires intentional decision-making about who receives their time and how much of it they receive. The key is to prioritize meaningful engagement over trying to be all things to all people. Leaders must resist the temptation to either spread themselves too thin or become completely inaccessible. Instead, they should focus on being present and engaged with those they choose to invest in, creating a balance that allows for effective leadership. [02:25]

"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs your focused attention today, and how can you intentionally engage with them?


Day 2: The Impact of Doing for One
The principle of "Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone" encourages leaders to focus deeply on a few individuals or situations rather than trying to be fair to everyone. This approach allows leaders to make a significant impact without becoming overwhelmed by the demands of fairness. By investing deeply in a few, leaders can create a ripple effect that extends beyond their immediate circle. This principle is about being engaged and intentional with one's time and resources, rather than being fair in the traditional sense. [07:29]

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (Galatians 6:9, ESV)

Reflection: Who is one person you can invest in deeply this week, and what specific action can you take to support them?


Day 3: Depth Over Breadth in Relationships
Leaders are encouraged to go deep rather than wide, investing in long-term relationships rather than spreading themselves thin across many. This approach allows for more meaningful engagement and development, both personally and organizationally. By focusing on a few key relationships, leaders can foster growth and create lasting change. This strategy helps leaders remain effective and engaged without becoming overwhelmed by the demands of numerous superficial interactions. [12:04]

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil." (Ecclesiastes 4:9, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a relationship in your life that needs deeper investment. What steps can you take to nurture this relationship?


Day 4: The Value of Time Over Money
While financial contributions are important, giving your time can have a more profound impact. By investing time in individuals or causes, leaders can create lasting change and model the values they wish to see in their organizations. Time is a valuable resource that, when given intentionally, can lead to significant personal and organizational growth. Leaders are encouraged to prioritize time over money to create a culture of engagement and intentionality. [13:40]

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)

Reflection: How can you prioritize giving your time to someone or something important this week, and what impact do you hope to achieve?


Day 5: Symbolic Leadership and Its Ripple Effect
By choosing to engage deeply with a few, leaders set an example that can inspire others to do the same. This symbolic leadership can create a culture of engagement and intentionality that benefits the entire organization. Leaders who model this behavior encourage others to invest deeply in relationships and causes, creating a ripple effect that extends far beyond their immediate influence. This approach emphasizes the power of leading by example and the potential for widespread impact. [14:23]

"Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith." (Hebrews 13:7, ESV)

Reflection: What example are you setting for those around you, and how can you lead in a way that inspires others to engage deeply?

Quotes


The harsh reality of leadership is that the more successful we are, the less accessible we become. The more successful we are, the less accessible we become. And the truth is, for most leaders, we want to be more accessible because there are more people to be accessible to, but it doesn't work that way. [00:01:59]

And the truth is it should be as things grow and as more people are involved, a leader can't be equally accessible to all people. And so then we were faced with the dilemma of who gets my time and who doesn't? When do they get it, and how much of it do they get? [00:02:21]

I can't be as accessible. The other extreme is to decide, well, since I can't be accessible to everyone, I will be inaccessible to everyone. I won't be accessible to anyone. And as time goes by, and as people become more and more successful, the temptation, I think probably among men more than women, is to become so autonomous that I don't want to commit my time to anyone. [00:04:25]

And so we're so bombarded with information, we're so bombarded with need, and there's something in all of us or most of us that wants to fix things or wants to meet all those needs, and it's absolutely impossible. So again, I'm either going to be stretched so thin that I'm no use to anyone, or I'm just going to retreat and say, well, since I can't fix all of it, I'm not even going to try to be involved in any of it. [00:05:52]

And that's do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. Yeah, we say that around here all the time. I can't afford to disengage, but I can't afford to be engaged with everyone. So do for one when you can, what you wish you could do for everyone. It's symbolic leadership and it's very, very powerful. [00:07:23]

And I found not only is life not fair, trying to be fair generally leads me to be disengaged. Growing up, we heard this all the time, if I do this for you, I'll have to do it for everyone. And I think we've adopted that into our adult world. And so consequently, if we can't do for everyone, we do for no one. [00:07:55]

So I think we should just abandon that whole way of thinking that it should never be, well, since I can't do for everyone, I'm going to do for no one. We should actually turn it around and say, well, I'm going to do for one what I wish I could do for everyone. And is that fair? No, it's not fair. [00:08:28]

And great leadership development always happens when you spend more time with fewer people. And leaders are generally pretty good at picking out the leaders in the organization. So again, I would rather be engaged with the people I need to be engaged with than disengaged in an attempt to be fair or engaged with everyone and accomplish virtually very little. [00:11:08]

Number one, go deep rather than wide. Go deep rather than wide. And is what I was alluding to when I was talking about leadership development. Go deep rather than wide, says I'm going to pick a handful of people and I'm going to go deep with them rather than spread myself thin and just give a little bit of myself to a whole lot of people. [00:11:45]

And then the third one is very context specific. And that is go time, not just money. It's tempting to just write a check to a charity. It's tempting to write a check to a couple in need or an individual in need. And I say, look, give your money wherever you want to give your money. But pick a charity, pick an organization, pick a family, and don't just give 'em money. Give 'em your time. [00:13:35]

And as everyone in an organization embraces this value, the impact is phenomenal because again, it moves us away from fairness. It moves us into engagement, and it's an engagement that change actually takes place. And then it allows me going back to our introduction, this entire podcast, it allows me to decide who gets my time. [00:14:38]

And oh my gosh, truth is I probably wouldn't have been born based on when my dad and mom met. I mean, think about the trajectory of his entire life was changed and the lives of untold numbers of people. Because one pastor decided, you know what? I'm going to go deep. I'm going to go long. I'm going to go time and I'm going to go money and do whatever I can to help this one high school graduate get into college. [00:18:31]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?