It is very easy for managers to take on responsibilities that do not belong on their plate. Sometimes they are given to us, and sometimes we add them. The problem is that we individually and as ministries end up doing much more than we should. In his book Good to Great, Jim Collins talks about making a
“Stop Doing List.” This is a list of responsibilities and jobs that we need to stop doing. Take some time to write out a stop doing list for yourself and for your ministry. You will find that the hardest part will not be making the list but to actually stop doing the items on it. Below is a sampling of what may need to be included on that list.

Responsibilities that
▪ are outside your area or authority;
▪ your secretary should be doing;
▪ someone else can do better;
▪ have no true benefit to the mission;
▪ prevent the mission from being accomplished;
▪ are of lesser priority to what should be getting done;
▪ you have already trained someone else to do;
▪ you have delegated;
▪ waste your time.

Ministries that
▪ have no leaders;
▪ no longer are accomplishing their intended purpose;
▪ prevent the mission from being accomplished;
▪ are of small importance but of large time commitments;
▪ could be done a better way.