Intangible and Unproductive Time is Valuable in Leadership
It occurred to me today from a Twitter I wrote that much of what I do seems unproductive to me at the time, but is probably the most productive part of my work. I have work I am responsible for that only I can do, such as answer emails, fill out forms (which I hate doing) and write messages, but in order for the organization I lead to thrive, there are things which may seem “unproductive”, that I must spend time doing.
Let me explain by sharing some “unproductive” things I have to do each day:
Thinking:
Often new ideas hit me in the shower or driving in my car, but many times new ideas are only shaped and realized when I set aside quantity time to brainstorm.
Reading:
It has always made me feel uncomfortable when someone who works for me finds me reading a magazine or a book, but I know the higher up in an organization a person goes the more important it is that he or she be exposed to ideas and thoughts outside the organization.
Praying:
I cannot forget that my organization is a church. We are the body of Christ. I must continually seek His favor and direction.
Investing in others:
Helping others on our team succeed in what they do helps the entire organization grow and improve. I have to remember also, that I’m into Kingdom-building, not only church building, so investing in other pastors not on our team is a part of what I do.
Network:
Some of the greatest doors of opportunity as a church have opened to us because of networking. (BTW, that makes Twittering valuable too!)
These may seem unproductive at the time; especially when I get back to my desk and face dozens of unanswered emails, but successful leadership demands that I spend time investing in intangible production.
