Here’s my email to leaders on Monday, January 14, 2013:
Happy Monday. Well, we are 14 days in to a New Year. I continue to think about holding on to purpose, though, in both my personal priorities as well as with the organizations I’m involved with, so today I wanted to write something about purpose and values and saying “No.” Some of you have probably learned this lesson long ago, but I’m one of those people who have a hard time saying “no” to things when I am given an opportunity. But, as we think about holding to purpose, we see that purpose is all about maintaining focus on what you want to accomplish, staying grounded, keeping entwined to those things crucial for progress. This inevitably means that we will have to choose among competing values. We might have to evaluate between 2 equally good things. Holding to purpose will free us say “no” to one so that we can give ourselves to saying (and living) “yes” to another.
I need to learn this. There are many things that call for my attention. I have a full time job pastoring a church, 4 kids ages 6 and under. I chair a non-profit in our community, write and help with some facilitation for Leadership Reno County and volunteer as a WatchDog at Lincoln Elementary. Holding to purpose is important as I try to juggle things that are important and meaningful to me. (And I’m sure some of you are even busier than I am). I say all this to say, purpose helps us navigate around those competing values and make some difficult choices at times. Holding to purpose undoubtedly makes us effective leaders.
Today, then, hold to purpose and, in so doing, choose among competing values. Make those difficult choices to say “no” to good things at times and “yes” to those things that line up most clearly with your purpose. And let’s see if we aren’t able to see progress in those purposeful areas of our lives and leadership.