Getting Perspective
at the Different Altitudes
I have a friend in Mexico, Roger - who is doing some real innovative leadership as he seeks to find new models for the theological training of pastors and other church/mission leaders. The system in Mexico is extremely broken and band-aids will not fix what is wrong. For that matter, neither will a splint and cast.
But that isn't what this post is about. Several years ago, Roger shared a "time assessment" mindset that he uses. He borrowed it from another person (David Allan and his book - Getting Things Done). From time to time, he pulls out this tool and does some assessing of what he is doing with his time. The idea is there are different levels of altitude from which we assess our life and our daily activities.
50,000 ft: Your calling and mission in life.
40,000 ft: Where you want to be in three to five years.
30,000 ft: What you hope to accomplish in the next one to three yeras.
20,000 ft: What are your current areas of focus and responsibility.
10,00 ft: What projects do you have on the front burner right now.
Landing: What is in front of you today.
It is worth reflecting on each of these altitude levels, since each one is important and each one has bearing on the others.
What happens when we don't reflect like this, we begin to live with major disconnects. Our daily routine is disconnected from the bigger picture. We then begin to live and lead, more from a sense of the immediate and urgent and not out of the important and strategic.
I have leaders draw a five point star and give each point an altitude. Then begin to jot down your best thoughts about that altitude. In the center of the star, that is where you look at today.
Try this little reflection and then determine - what are the next steps to which God is inviting you to move in being profoundly self-aware, highly intentional, wisely strategic and deeply surrendered.
Brian K. Rice
Leadership ConneXtions International
www.lci.typepad.com
