Play To Your Strengths

Organizing trips and events are not my strong suit in ministry.  It’s something about the numbers, the phone calls and corralling of teenagers that gets me anxious.  As a result many of our trips and events are planned through the small group leaders.  And I’m okay with that because when you are a leader you need to play to your strengths.

Courtesy of ncanup/Creative Commons License

It’s easy for you to feel like you have to do it all because of the pressures you feel as a leader.  It’s an unfair burden one that you should not do alone because it will crush you.  A sustaining and thriving ministry is one where the leader plays to his or her strengths.  To do that you need to:

IDENTIFY WHAT YOU DO BEST: It’s easy to identify what you love; however, it’s not so easy to always identify what you are best at doing.  To do this:

• Make a list of what you do in a week.
• Cross off the things that take you away from your vision or mission.
• Circle the tasks you love.
• Check the ones you have to do because only you can do it.

You’ll notice that your “love to do” list and your “only you can” list will overlap.  That’s okay.  Sit down with some trusted friends and coworkers and have them help you whittle it down to the top five things you should be doing.  That might mean eliminating something you are good at doing so that you can better play to your strengths.

DELEGATE YOUR WEAKNESSES: Knowing where you are weak will help you grow stronger.  If you surround yourself with the right people to fill those holes you’ll find that you can start focusing on the tasks you were called to do.  Playing to your strengths means letting go of control so that you can do what only you can do.  When you delegate certain tasks you not only strengthen the core of your leadership, but build a ministry that isn’t reliant on one person. (For more on delegating go here)

INVEST IN THE BEST: Once you identify the tasks that you are best at doing find ways of strengthening them.  The tendency is to work at our weaknesses; however, if you’ve passed those off to the right people those holes have already been filled.  When you focus on the few things you excel at doing you set yourself up for the biggest impact.  When you play to your strengths people will play theirs as well.

Knowing how to play to your strengths is an ongoing exercise that involves people you trust to guide you along the way.  Another great resource is Tom Rath’s Strength Finders 2.0.  In his book he’ll take you through a self examination that will help you see what you do best and how you work best with others.  When you can own your role and invest in what you do well you not only play to your strengths but take your whole team to a new level.

What tasks or responsibilities do you struggle to let go of doing? How do you play to your strengths?