May 24. When Is More Than Eighty To Much?

Eighty percent, is that good enough? Sometimes it just might be the perfect piece. We work with teams. If a project is designed correctly there are many suggestions that lead us to believe that we should only complete eighty percent of it ourselves. The other twenty percent should be done by others.

That allows you to focus only on the part that you are best at doing. This is a place of unique gifts that go beyond trained skill and talent. I find many times that when we go beyond the eighty percent level we get in other people’s way. We restrict the energy and results of our teams by doing this.

If you do not have others that you collaborate with then you might be only able to get eighty percent done. This is where your ability to be a leader requires us to assemble resources. Resources may be internal to your team and enterprise or they might be external resources that you collaborate with.

Think about the software that people use on their computers. How many people write their own software for everyday usage? How are you doing with holding fast to doing eighty percent? Do you find yourself constantly encroaching on your teams’ space?

How is your team doing at the other twenty percent? What can you do to assist them with their twenty? Do you simply need to get out of the way? What is the first thing to do in the next seven days to improve your results thinking about the eighty twenty rules?

Our Monday debriefs might be a great place to start with our teams to find out how that ratio can be optimized.

King David was bringing the Ark of the Lord from Judah to the city of David when Uzzah touched it and died. David was distraught and could not bring the Ark to the city because of this. He sent the Ark to Obed-Edom. We read this in 2 Samuel 6:1-10 NLT.

It stayed there and blessed the people there until David could accept the presence of the Ark later. I like to think of this in relation to the eighty twenty principle. Obed-Edom had it for their twenty percent and it did not go to David until he was ready for it.

Then, and only then was David able to maximize its use for the Kingdom. It was ready for the eighty at that point. Sometimes we think that we must do it all. We become self-reliant instead of using the eighty twenty concept.

Where might you be able to share with others in your walk of faith, giving them the opportunity to share with you the twenty? Where are you able to bring the twenty and team up with others to do their eighty? Your eighty is someone else's twenty that they need.

Where might we be keeping God from doing twenty because we are attempting to handle it all instead of what is our part? Monday’s theme all year long is leadership. Being a leader does not mean you have to do it alone.

What is the first thing for you to do today that will launch someone into their twenty part that would honor God? 

Let us pray, Heavenly Father, you have blessed us. Each of us are full of endless possibilities. Help us to have clarity of vision so that we might see where we can be the eighty. You do not expect perfection from us, just our best in a way that honors you.

Help us to join with others to glorify the results. May you bless us most when we work collaboratively. Like a choir Lord, blend and direct us so that the Holy Spirit might move. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen,