Apples, Leadership and the Gag Factor
3 Mar
I got a leadership lesson yesterday. One I’ll keep in my back pocket for a while.
Yesterday morning was a little frustrating. Trying to make heads or tails of the sound/video equipment in my elementary space, I was stopped dead in my tracks because one piece of equipment would not work. (User error, I confess… but that’s another story.)
The pressure of all the things I want to take on is mounting. Only 3 weeks into this gig at Faith Promise and there are many things I want to dive into. But there is only so much time in the day.
My boss, Chuck Carringer, stopped by my office later that day. He held an apple in his hand.
Chuck: Here, I want you to eat this in one bite.
Me: That’s impossible.
Chuck: Exactly. You can’t eat an apple in a single bite.
Me: Then where would you start eating it?
Chuck: That’s the leadership question for you. You want to take the most strategic bite you can take.
Me: But I want the apple eaten yesterday.
Though I’ve never heard the apple analogy before, the leadership lesson is not unfamiliar. I can’t do everything at one time. I need to find the most strategic areas on which to focus.
If I attempt to eat the apple all at once I’ll gag. And no one wants me vomiting on them. Taking on too many things creates a stress and pressure that evoke an eruption. Verbal, emotional vomit.
Nobody wants that. Especially me.
So I’m stepping back and examining the apple. Looking for the best bite to take.
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A lesson well worth learning for all leaders. Having been the first CP at 3 different churches, and inheriting a monumental mess at a 4th, I can totally understand the need to get things done…and I want it done NOW. The truth is, though, that most people on the team couldn’t keep up if you WERE able to do it all now. And being new…well, it’s more important to acquaint with your team than to accomplish the tasks right now.
Great thoughts, Gina! Thanks!
Great analogy, I’m going to have to file that one away for later use!
Gina, you and I are the same in that respect. I’m posting about this tomorrow, but it’s a great lesson I learned from Jim Wideman. Ministry isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon. He’s been where he is now for two years. It’s all very good, but there are some things I was kind of surprised about… especially at Jim’s church. He explained, “Ministry’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon. I figured I’ll get everything the way I like in in ten years, then I’ll have 20 to really enjoy the way things are working.” I came home and mentally cleared off some of the things I was planning on getting started this year… I was sprinting.
Great analogy though. I love it.
Gina~ I loved this post! It was a great reminder and the second time this week I’ve been reminded that the point is to FINISH the race, if we’re running too fast we’re going to run out of steam, or choke on the apple! Thank you so much, love you heart!
Gotta love “leadership lessons” from Chuck! I’ve circled the apple a few times now, debated taking a knife to it, and am now working towards recruiting additional “biters” to help make the process swift, affective and solid in the long run.