Director off Duty
You know those moments when you are on the beach and the lifeguard is off duty? It makes you feel a little unsafe and encourages you to be alert and careful but you move forward and swim with confidence in yourself. It is the same with us as leaders and our teams. As the Director, you need time off to rejuvenate and your team must be able to "swim" alone for a little while. As important as the job is as a Lifeguard, our jobs are just as important as Lifesavers to the unborn. With such a heavy responsibility, our bodies need time to rest. Our minds need to rest as well to be able to be the visionary leader of our ministry.
It takes effort to schedule time away from the daily responsibilities. It may require a conversation with the Board of Directors informing them of what you need as the leader. Boards don't know the investment of your time and the necessity to take a break if you don't communicate that. A great way to prepare is to list the ways your Board can assist you with having the time you need to be refreshed. It may be a day off each quarter or sabbatical time each year. You can be assertive if you are prepared but yet compromise with the Board on what works for the ministry and you.
Many times, leaders feel that they must be in charge all the time but to be a leader that possesses stamina for the long haul, you must allow others to carry some of the load. That means equipping and trusting. If your team feels that you trust their abilities in your absence, they will strive to secure that trust by giving their best performance when you are not present. It's fine to set up parameters of where their authority in decisions end and yours begin to allow you to rest easy for some visionary, rest time.
To be successful in "Director off Duty" times, you have to equip others to operate in your absence. Whether this be a volunteer, staff member or Board member, they will "swim" alone if confident. Schedule a day to train in the tasks they would need to complete in your absence. Discuss operations, professionalism with visitors, relaying messages and adhering to policies. If your team is equipped, you will feel at ease to take some much needed time to rest. Practice being "Director off Duty" sometimes. Your organization and team will be all the better for it! For more assistance in this area or support, contact me.
Email: vicki@freedomstouch.com
