Every Tuesday afternoon I lead a Bible Study at a half-way house for men who are in recovery for alcohol and other drug addiction. Over the years, I have learned some of the recovery language, and one of my favorite expressions is “Half measures have availed me nothing.” The reason I find that expression so helpful is I have often majored in half measures. I have attempted to do something, but without giving it my best, without being all in as the saying goes. When we offer half measures as leaders even when we “win” we lose.
I say that because when we “win” while offering half measures, the win is hollow. Perhaps we’ve reached our production quota, or the message when well, or others are happy with our performance. The problem is we know deep inside, or maybe quite close to the surface that we could have done better, and would have done better if we had given our whole self into the effort. It’s so easy to default to half measures in life, because we have so much to do that we can’t do everything well. We can’t give full measures to everything, right?
It all depends on what everything includes. If you and I attempt to do everything, then we will certainly default to half measures, because we will become overwhelmed quite quickly. That’s why we must examine our lives and ask ourselves what is important, truly important. If we compile a list of most important activities in life it cannot contain 100 items. After all, while there may be 100 items that are important, they can’t all be most important. When we attempt to do everything we will certainly fail, and feel miserable in the process, if we are leaders. Leaders have a drive to succeed.
The challenge is when we don’t attempt to do everything we can also feel like failures, right? We think if we’re leaders, truly leaders, we will be able to do more than everyone else. But the opposite is the truth. If we are truly leaders, we will learn the handful of things that are most important and pursue them with an all in attitude. Then when we succeed, we will know that it is sustainable success.
What about all the things we can’t do, when we narrow our focus? So, we get over half measuring everything, because we’re doing a handful of things with excellence, but what about everything we’re no longer doing? Truth be told, we ought not to have been doing most of it in the first place. The other activities that are important to the success of the team, or business, or family or organization must be delegated to others on the team. Leaders sometimes have problems with letting go of activities, because we’re afraid someone else won’t do it as well as we would. (Other leaders, insecure ones, won’t let go of activities, because they’re afraid someone else will do them as well or better than we would. That’s a post for another day.)
The key is when I focus on the handful of highest leverage activities, I can give full measures to them, and I won’t be in the position of half measuring everything and feeling like a failure. Please, understand the handful of high leverage activities will include personal care, what I call Life Management, and what Michael Hyatt calls the five “R’s” (I’ve written about both in previous posts.) For example, each of us needs a certain level of exercise or physical activity to remain healthy. That takes time, but such time used is not “spent” it’s “invested.” Make sure when you sit down to consider the handful of activities to which you must give full measure effort, you include the personal as well as the professional area of your life.
Remember, if you’re consistently finding yourself half measuring your life, you can be sure in the end it will avail you nothing. Take some time today to consider what you need to emphasize and what you need to eliminate and delegate in order to become the best leader you can be.
Here’s to leading better by giving full measure to a handful of emphases–today!