Leadership Through Goal Setting

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Greetings in the Name of our Lord,

In our worship services during the month of January, we will be looking at the leadership of Jesus. This week’s sermon will focus on Romans 12:1-2 and Matthew 20:25-28. In preparation for Sunday’s sermon, I wanted to use this space to outline some specifics on taking the next steps in our lives. I recently read an article by Shawn Lovejoy from the Courage to Lead organization. The article reminded me of the principles that I teach and try to follow in my own life as I seek to lead like Jesus.

In the leadership of Jesus, He was disciplined and communicated clear goals.

Clear goals are like a magnet—they pull us onward and upward. The stronger our goals are, the more purposeful they are, the more focused they are, the stronger they pull. Everyone sets goals. They are called New Year’s resolutions! However, within a few weeks, those goals are often forgotten. Everyone sets goals, but few follow through on them.

Here’s how to set goals that will last:

Take a morning or afternoon once a week, month, or quarter to evaluate and reflect. I like to take Monday mornings (during busy seasons, more often). These questions guide my reflection: Where do I/we need to go? What do I/we need to be doing to get there? How does my schedule and structure need to be adjusted?

These goals can and should be very comprehensive in nature. As I go, so goes the organization or team that I lead. When setting goals, answer these questions applied to four primary areas: spiritual depth, strong relationships, physical health, and professional clarity.

Use S.M.A.R.T goals. Forty years ago, George Doran developed a five-step process for developing goals that help us achieve our dreams. Great leaders develop goals that can be achieved. The process has come to be known as S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Specific:

  • Hard to achieve goal: Read the Gospels in the New Testament.

  • Good goal: On Saturday mornings, read two chapters from the Gospel of Mark.

Measurable:

  • Hard to achieve goal: Get healthy.

  • Good goal: Walk 10 minutes four times a week.

Attainable:

  • Hard to achieve goal: Change my community.

  • Good goal: Volunteer to help a specific community organization.

Relevant:

  • If my goal is to see the Holy Land, why is this important to me? If we forget why we’re doing what we’re doing, we’ll eventually lose our passion!

  • Are my goals in alignment with my vision and core values? What does each goal have to do with my spiritual, relational, physical and professional health?

Time-driven:

  • Every goal should have a deadline.

  • Hard to achieve Goal: Walk 10 minutes four times a week.

  • Better Goal: Walk 10 minutes four times a week starting Monday.

After the goal is set, develop a specific process for completing the goal. Write down the specific actions and habits that are needed to achieve the goal. Here is one example…

Goal: Lose 10 lb. by May 1st.

Process: Beginning February 1, eliminate all soft drinks and sweets. Exercise for 10 minutes 4 times/week for the next ninety days (and I will probably lose 10 lbs.)!

Ask for accountability.

This may be the most important aspect of reaching our goals. Ask for help from who knows us best. Knowing we are reporting our progress to someone will push us to follow the process.

Tweak, but don’t retreat.

If the goal was too aggressive or it is too much to handle, that’s ok! Adjust. Tweak the goal. Focus on progress, not perfection. Failure is an event, not a person. The only way we fail is to quit. Don’t give up! It’s not how good we are. It’s how good we want to be!

Pastor John Allen