4 Preparation Commitments that Make All the Difference

Let’s talk for a moment about preparing to lead at our best.

As I write this, we are exiting summer. Not everybody has a job that slows down during this summer, but for most of us, we throw in a vacation or two, kids don’t have homework, and traffic is lighter.

But we know what’s ahead.

It seems we never have enough margin!

When I work with clients on communicating and presenting, we spend an entire session on preparation.

Wy? The reason is simple:

Disruptions destroy the unprepared.

When you’re presenting, one of the very few things we can guarantee is disruptions and distractions.

Well-prepared presenters can navigate these disturbances with grace. The unprepared? Well, we’ve all been there and felt the pain.

I believe every aspect of our lives would be better experienced if we were simply better prepared. I shouldn’t say “simply” because preparation isn’t always “simple.” Prep is simple to understand, but it’s often challenging to implement.

The reason is that preparation rarely feels urgent.

Cramming for a math test the night before is urgent. Studying all semester is important, but certainly not urgent. The urgent always squeezes out the important, and unfortunately, there is always urgency around us.

Leadership, by nature, is full of fires that need dousing. Fires are urgent. Employee issues are urgent. Product sales are urgent.

In a life full of urgency, we rarely get to the important.

As we enter the fall, what would happen in your circle of influence if you committed to creating more margin by preparing well? And not just for speaking, but for all aspects of our life and leadership.

Here are 4 preparation commitments that will make the rest of the year more refreshing:

1. Prepare for Big Seasons

Every year has seasons. In organizational leadership, the same is true. Some seasons are much more intense than others.

What’s strange is how often we’re caught by surprise during intense seasons.

I’ve spent the last 20 years in a ministry space. Let me give you an easy-to-follow example.

For a pastor, December is exhausting. I know Easter is the Super Bowl, but that’s a day. Christmas consumes a month! There are unique experiences at churches for children and students. You may host community functions. And then Christmas Eve and the multiple services!

But every pastor knows December is coming. It happens every year. Weird how the calendar always sneaks up on us.

In your world, stop letting predictable bigness sneak up on you. If you know it’s coming, prepare!