TLS3: Leadership and Focus

Welcome to another week of the Transformation Leadership Series (TLS).

 

Today we will discuss LEADERSHIP and FOCUS.

 

LEADERSHIP AND FOCUS

 

“The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”—Peter Lord

 

Peter is speaking about focus. Leaders must have focus. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines focus in optics, as, “a point in which any number of rays of light meet”. He further defines focus as, “A central point; point of concentration”. Notice focus has to do with a point, not many points.

 

Leaders will be confronted with many points, paths, issues but they must be careful to focus or concentrate on specific thing(s) tied to their core calling.

 

Jesus met many but did not necessarily meet all the needs He met. He focused on what His Father had sent Him to do. He did only what He saw His father doing. This is why a transformational leader must know what his or her main thing is. What is your core mandate? Focus on that.

 

FOCUS AND CONVERGENCE

 

Leaders must guard against being (side) tracked. A track is defined as a beaten path, course, way etc. It could be a mark or impression left by the foot, ship or car. There are many courses or paths presented to leaders but a transformational leader should concentrate on the one that leads to convergence. Convergence is a ‘leadership term’ coined by Dr. J. Robert Clinton. It is what transpires in a leader’s life when giftedness, role, and influence COME INTO ALIGNMENT with experience, personality, formation, opportunity, and destiny. The convergence brings fulfillment.[1]

For convergence to take place a leader must not be side-tracked but stay focused on the main thing—the main reason why God commissioned him or her as a leader.

 

FOCUS AND SUCCESS

 

The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing. Leaders sometimes get side-tracked, distracted, caught up in many things that aren’t the main thing. This reduces effectiveness and efficiency. Success is not measured by how many things a leader gets involved in but how successful they do at the specific thing(s) God has assigned to them.

 

Put differently, success is measured by how a leader is able to achieve their God-given objectives. Good leaders are those who remain focused on what God has called them to do and get it done.

 

FOCUS AND PURPOSE / DIRECTION

 

Henry Kissinger is credited with saying, “If you don’t know where you are going, every road will get you nowhere”. Losing sight of the main thing leads to a starvation of direction and purpose.

 

JESUS THE ULTIMATE LEADER

 

Apostle Paul is one of the greatest transformation leader there ever was.  How did he succeed at this? We find the answer in the following scripture:

 

Philippians 3:14-16 The Message (MSG)

12-14 …By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus…

15-16 So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.

 

In like manner to Paul, all who seek to be transformational leaders who leave a lasting legacy like Paul should endeavour to focus on the goal or objectives assigned them by GOD.

 

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