The Bracketology of Leadership

One of the reasons I love March Madness is the single elimination. There is no series of games or multiple chances. Teams play as if every shot matters, because, especially in the tournament, it does. High stakes, high intensity, high performance. While I’d like to believe I bring the same passion and drive to my ministry as tournament play, I also have to admit that, on occasion, I’ve brought the element of "single elimination" too. How often, in our drive for "what’s next" as leaders, do we consciously or unconsciously rule out a volunteer or a team member for one bad game? Do we take time to appreciate the entire season of one’s contribution or does our perspective begin and end with the next round? The older I get, the more I’m grateful that leadership isn’t a single elimination sport and that we have a God that "runs after us" instead of some of the madness we might run after.