The Day After

I’m writing this blog the weekend before the presidential election so that it can be posted on Election Day for you to reflect on in the days that follow. On the day after, I’m sure that the airwaves and internet will be filled with post-election analysis and hand-wringing by the losing party. But this isn’t a blog about politics. The question I want to explore is, “What should leaders do on the ‘day after’”? Not necessarily the day after a major election, but the day (or days) after any kind of momentous event in their organizations. My concern is that many ministry leaders are not good “winners” or good “losers,” and because of this, they miss out on the opportunities that can occur in either scenario. Consider what happens when we “win.” That victory could be the completion of a major building project or the successful launch of a new worship service or a great response to a spiritual growth campaign. After this kind of victory, do you take time to celebrate? Those moments of celebration are momentum builders for your church or ministry. They are an important opportunity to thank those who have worked so hard to get to this point and to allow them to catch their collective breath. Most importantly, celebration is a time to give God praise. Good winners have a plan for what comes next. In the busy-ness of trying to successfully get across the finish line with a major initiative, some leaders fail to look ahead. It’s great to open the new building, but you need a plan for how to make the best use of it to accomplish your mission. Ministry leaders also have an important responsibility when they “lose.” The defeat may be closing a satellite campus or reducing expenses because the current budget is too much of a stretch. In these moments, the best leaders acknowledge the problem rather than trying to hide it. These leaders seek to understand causes so they can learn, but they don’t look for someone to blame. Even in defeat, they know that team members have worked hard, and they express appreciation for these efforts. Eventually the dust will settle from the 2016 presidential election, but you will still have plenty of leadership victories and setbacks. What will you do on the days after these events? It’s easy to receive my blogs by email. Just sign-up on Feedburner by clicking here.]]>