Make Use of Your Capabilities

Up until now, I have been talking to you about monitoring your own abilities and inabilities and those of your individual team members. Until you completely understand yourself and your people you will have very difficult time identifying the limitations and capabilities of your overall team.

Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (NLT)

No one wants to be involved with a race that they are not allowed to win. People do not train hard so that they can sit on the sidelines. When I played football in high school, I did not train hard just to stand by and hope to get in the game. In the military, I did not train hard just to remain a private with little if any potential. As a minister, I do not study and apply what I learn just to have something to do.

All my efforts, like yours, should be focused towards accomplishment whether here on earth or in heaven. Your team is in the same mindset. They want to be challenged and trained, within reason, to achieve their tasks and workload. Tasks that are too easy, unrealistic, and unattainable can cause frustration and rebellion.

Your ability as a leader will show in how you challenge your people regardless of any limitations you may have in resources. We all face limits in

• people needed – what could you do with one more person or with more customers
• finances – what would more money assist you with
• facilities – what would location or a larger office offer you
• time – enough said
• victories – how would a few more victories help in inspiring your people
• influence – how does lack of influence in your market or place of business affect you

The “if” statements could go on and on. Leaders, however, do not invest time into situations that are out of their control; they do spend time trying to evaluate what they need to be successful and become more resourceful.

Growing a team is going to take time, courage, conviction, help from others, and leadership skills. Due to constraints, do not put emphasis into tasks that will cause frustrations. Identify what you can put into practice and train your people in those areas. Every small victory prepares your people for larger victories. Do not lower expectations just because you lack the resources needed or because you do not have confidence in the ability of your people!

Your expectations will become the measure your people will need in order to be ready for whatever mission you are facing in your organization. Your task as the leader is to provide realistic and tough training designed to develop and challenge the team.

The prize waits you, so take these principles and apply them and teach them to your people. You will be the better for it.