Expecting the Unexpected

“I never expected this.” That’s the quote in the news from an oilfield worker who was recently being laid off due to the crash in oil prices. My first reaction on reading this was, “Really? How would you ‘never expect’ this?” It’s an industry that is characterized by boom and bust. When times are good, they are really good. But everyone knows that they don’t last forever. Admittedly, this crash came suddenly and without warning. And I am sympathetic to this man’s situation. But it makes me wonder about what it means to lead effectively in good times. When the trend lines are up and to the right, it is easy to believe that growth will continue indefinitely. It’s an environment where momentum keeps building and new opportunities abound. Of course, those opportunities require resources, so leaders invest in time and money in the latest idea and postpone consideration about downside risks. After all, it doesn’t seem necessary to save for a rainy day because there are no storm clouds on the horizon. Good leadership means looking beyond that horizon. It means asking what unseen threats could derail your growth. It means being realistic and recognizing that it’s dangerous to project and plan for uninterrupted growth. It doesn’t mean dwelling on negative scenarios, but it does mean having a contingency plan or setting aside some funds so that you are prepared for a downturn. Ultimately, our leadership should reflect God’s guidance. We are to live in complete dependence on God and also be good stewards of the resources that we’ve been given. From my perspective, a “good steward” doesn’t say “I never expected this” when “this” could have been expected. Is there something that you should be expecting? It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>