Steward Leadership Starts with You
Steward Leadership starts with leading oneself before leading others, balancing self-leadership and team leadership, and unleashing human potential holistically.
Transitioning from the excuse-laden shield of “busyness” to the clarity of prioritization is a liberating shift. However, this newfound power of prioritization, if not handled with care, can become a weapon against oneself, loved ones, and the community. In this second part of our three-part series, we explore the nuanced and deceptive risks that emerge when prioritization is misused.
Prioritization empowers us to say “No” to what does not align with our values and goals. Yet, there lies a subtle danger in overusing this power. The act of declining responsibilities and commitments can slip from being a sign of focused intentionality to becoming a convenient escape from challenges that demand our attention and growth.
When we prioritize, it is crucial to distinguish between genuine alignment with core values and veiled avoidance. For instance, choosing family time over a community commitment might seem valid, but is it always a prioritization or sometimes an escape from contributing to a greater cause? Are we shielding ourselves behind the noble guise of family to avoid stretching our boundaries, both personally and communally? Is the opposite true?
Often we will need to adjust the manner in which we spend our time. But when you sacrifice self, familial, and communal development to one another in broad and sweeping shifts, beware that you may be allowing the pendulum to swing to far, and that you may now be hiding behind the guise of your priorities, which once liberating, are now weaponized to degrade the sustainable progress you have been working hard to cultivate.
Misusing prioritization can strain relationships. Loved ones may feel neglected or undervalued when we consistently prioritize other aspects over time with them, citing personal growth or professional commitments. Similarly, when community responsibilities are constantly put on the back burner, it erodes the trust and bond within that group, ultimately weakening the communal fabric.
The art of prioritization is not just about selecting what to do; it is about balancing all aspects of life. Especially given that we have only one life to live, and we should live it with everything that we have. It requires a keen understanding of when to push boundaries and when to hold firm. This balance is vital in ensuring that our priorities do not become self-serving but serve a broader, more holistic purpose as well. And this process often is refined over a long time horizon, with great intentionality, exploration, communication, negotiation, and rebalancing, cycle after cycle, until we strike an appropriate mix of prioritized actions and expenditure of time that helps us to feel as though we are leading maximized lives.
Regular self-reflection is crucial in this journey. It involves asking ourselves tough questions: Are we using prioritization as a shield against uncomfortable growth, or to abdicate our responsibility born opportunity to remain engaged in community, fitness, etc? Are your choices reflective of your deepest values, or are they subtly driven by fear or complacency?
The journey from busyness to prioritization is transformative, though not without hidden risks. It demands vigilance to ensure that our choices, though prioritized, do not become self-sabotaging weapons. As we continue to refine our ability to wield the power of prioritization, let us do so with a balanced, reflective approach that honors not just our individual growth but also the well-being of those around us, the communities we are a part of, and the world we are working to build.
How will you recognize if you have gone too far and need to rebalance your priorities before damage is done?
