Setting priorities is an integral part of leadership in ministry, especially as there is always more to do than there is time to do it in. Deciding how to assign the importance, time and order of each task is a decision we are faced with all the time. How can the busy corps leader make decisions about prioritising and get them right most of the time?
Here are some suggestions for your approach to prioritising for 2012.
1. Address the things that make you ineffective ASAP.
We all experience things that make us ineffective from time to time. It may be a conflict with other members of the corps, our spouse, or a friend, or it may be broken-down equipment or software. Anything that inhibits us being an effective leader should be addressed quickly.
2. Group tasks to save time.
It is sometime possible to group a number of tasks together so as to save time. For example, by taking one journey to a certain area you may be able to do several tasks in that area.
3. Don’t let items linger on your list
If you really are not going to get round to that thing that has been on your list for months, stop fooling yourself, stop feeling guilty, and take it off the list!
4. Don’t do only No 1 priorities!
If you focus on only top priorities, others may get neglected. Keep all your priorities in balance, and keep reviewing them. What is low priority today may become high next week.
5. Stay on Task
When you have decided to work on something, keep with it until it is finished, even if the last bit seems the worst.
6. Reward yourself for completing the difficult jobs
Giving ourselves rewards, such as a check mark or a candy, appeal to the child in us. Don’t be embarrassed to admit to yourself that these little things help to get the task done – because they do.
There is a great temptation to put off difficult tasks because we dread facing them. Avoidance does not solve problems, and usually it makes them worse. Sometimes we have to be honest with ourselves and put the difficult things first.
7. Come to terms with the fact that your action list will never get any shorter.
Whenever you complete a task it won’t be long before another one pops up in its place. As a leader it is what your role is all about. If your list is getting shorter it may mean that you’re not sufficiently engaged with your ministry.
My personal Prioritising Approach
Here is an overview of my own personal approach to prioritising:
a. I make a list of every possible thing I need to do,
b. I re-arrange the list into the categories:
i. Today
ii. Tomorrow
iii. This Week
iv. This Month
v. Sometime in the future
c. In each category I re-arrange the order in which the tasks should be done,
d. I reward the completion of each task with a check mark,
e. I re-arrange the list daily.
The first setting up of the list usually takes an hour or more, but once it is set up, 10 to 15 minutes a day is all that is needed to maintain it, especially if I do it in Word, XL or something similar. And I work much more efficiently as a result of this short investment of my time!
Question to consider:
What will be the key elements of your approach to prioritising in 2012?
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