Stuff that matters
Recently, I made a list of things that matter in the organization that I lead. (Orchard: Africa) I’ve noticed that when people are in a group setting, whether it is family, friends, work, church or whatever, if the same things matter to the members of that group, there is more harmony and more energy, which translates into a higher level of effectiveness.
As leaders, it is essential that we regularly communicate to our group the stuff that matters. That way, the stuff that does not matter can be set aside and our time, which is a very scarce commodity, can be given to the important stuff.Here is the list of stuff that matters at Orchard: Africa. This is our A list. It is not a closed and final list and other stuff could be added.
- God matters
- The Church worldwide matters
- Africa matters (of course every other country matters too, but for this organization, our focus is Africa)
- Doing something we believe in matters
- Our core values matter (this is clearly defined for all staff)
- Creating an organization that changes the world we live in matters
- How we get there (the journey) matters
- Passion matters
- Playing our best game matters
- Details matter
- Communication matters
- Simplicity (which leads to sustainability) matters
- Leadership matters
- The team matters
Of course, for your group, this list will look very different. For my family, the list looks different. So too for my church small group, or my friendship circles. However, the list itself is not where it ends – what matters is that the people in the group agree and buy into the list. Perhaps this is part of what what is meant with the scripture “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” Habakkuk 2:2. The list is not our vision statement but it is a part of how we "run" as we go about the vision.When was the last time you made a list of stuff that matters?
