Busy people seem to have low clarity. The brag of busy is really not a badge of honor. People with extremely high focus will not allow themselves to become busy.

Even an ant can scurry about. It's hard to discern their clarity, but it seems the little crawlers change directions often. There's even a type of ant frequently called the "crazy ant." The ants earned the label because they seem to be swarming about for no apparent reason.

Have you ever labeled your day as "crazy busy?" At day's end, did you consider it highly focused or just too busy? Thankfully, we have executive assistants to blame for crazy days. Notice that the word "assistant" ends with an ant.

Busy people have difficulties developing powerful platforms. Without clarity, a platform becomes like a carousel. There's a new horse facing the waving crowd every few seconds. The platform continues to circle until the audience becomes bored and moves on to something with more clarity of purpose. A rapidly changing platform usually produces a revolving front door.

The serious issue with clarity is that many leaders who lack it strongly believe and teach the importance of focus. It is much easier for a leader to diagnose missing clarity in others than it is to realize the lack of focus within his own work. It is very difficult to share a focus pie with a busy leader.

Yet, that must be where the critical work begins. The work to develop meaningful clarity is usually a long process. A busy leader wants the process to happen quickly. Read a book, have a meeting and declare thyself focused.

The process begins with one fundamental question, "What isn't clear?" and is followed by answering five "whys."

Example:

Mentor: What isn't clear?

Leader: Our growth is stagnate. I don't understand what we're missing.

Mentor: (Why No. 1) Why do you think something is missing?

Leader: It seems like other ministries are growing by adding new programs or activities.

Mentor: (Why No. 2) Why do you think a comparison with other ministries is the right metric to determine growth?

Leader: Well, we have empty seats. Our product is good. Our child care is excellent. We just think the answer is that we need to keep trying new things.

Mentor: (Why No. 3) Why are you trying new things? Are you throwing mud against the wall, hoping something sticks?

Leader: I suppose we could be doing too much. Our team seems tired. I'm tired.

Mentor: (Why No. 4) Why is everyone tired if you aren't growing?

Leader: Maybe we are spread too thin?

Mentor: (Why No. 5) Why don't you focus on just one thing this year? Go deep. Consider not adding anything new for one full year.

Effective leaders ask, "What's holding us back?" A better question to ask is, "How can we use our platform to attract other people in need of our help?" Instead of asking about what is going wrong, ask what can be done to broaden our platform. Perhaps your ministry is missing an important audience because the ministry platform doesn't reach the desired audience.

Broaden your platform:

1) Enhance your visibility in your marketplace—God's anointing will follow you there. Find three new places to go to lunch next week. Intentionally meet new people every day.

2) Don't depend upon your business card as a crutch. Business cards don't attract. How can you extend your platform by what you give away? How about a one-page flyer with the headline "5 Reasons Why Children Have Become Enabled and 3 Ways We Can Help"? Design the brochure to deliver the answer on a splash page with a link to your website. Replace this simple suggestion with your own ministry focus (The focus in Sunday school and from the pulpit will be the cure for enabled kids).

3) Write your message with frequency. Blog your message. Guest-blog your message. Do interviews with multimedia every week. Update your message every day on your website. Keep talking about what you talk about. Obviously, find new ways to say it, but say it every day.

Mission clarity begets message clarity. Become the most-sought-after voice of your message. It's likely that no one else has your message. The Holy Spirit called you and deposited clarity of purpose and will open doors as you broaden your platform.

And you won't be so busy.  

Dr. Steve Greene is executive vice president of the Media Group at Charisma Media. Follow his daily, practical Greenlines blog at ministrytodaymag.com/blogs/greenelines.

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