This week is being spent writing a little more about the “3 Questions”. I’ve taken one at a time and will finish with the 3rd today.
Just for a refresher, when you walk into a room, ask yourself:
- What needs to be done?
- What can I do?
- Who can I get to help?
(Click here, here and here if you haven’t read the original posts yet)
Leaders have an ability to see the “horizon of possibility”
The Horizon of Possibility sounds like an awesome title for a fiction novel about an astronaut who gets stranded on the moon, but the concept is much simpler. Leaders can look ahead and see all the things that could happen, and they lead others to help make sure the best option does happen.
Asking the third question has a few hurdles, but first dream what could happen if you embraced the horizon of possibility. Imagine looking at a situation, seeing the options, and then leading a group of people to pursue one option.
As we include others, we are simply inviting them to look at the horizon with us. There will be times where you bring other people to the table and let them help decide how to move forward.
I enjoy bringing other people into the planning process on things. Each year at my church we take a short Spring Break trip. We have done it for 4 years. The first two years we stayed in town and did work projects around town. The last two years we have gone to our associational campground and done work projects around their campus.
This year, as I started planning the trip, I was able to bring another person into the decision making process. We fed off of each other, weighed pros and cons of different options, and ultimately made a decision.
We took the time to examine the Horizon of Possibilities and chose to move forward in a unified manner.
Leadership does not have a secret sauce. Some people are more naturally gifted leaders, and some people struggle with the concept from the beginning.
Struggle, when embraced fully, paves the way for confidence. Learning how to lead, for people gifted with leadership and those who are not gifted with leadership, is all part of the journey.
What situation are you facing today that may benefit from you stepping back and evaluating the Horizon of Possibility?
Who can you bring into the discussion and help them examine the horizon?
Remember, the goal of the 3 Questions is forward movement–movement with a purpose. How can you leverage the Horizon of Possibility to include someone in the work you’re doing already? Are you willing to take the necessary steps?
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