Leadership Requires Playing Offense and Defense

Organizations are always involved in two main initiatives, which demand a great deal of energy and attention.  To use a sports analogy, one is offense and one is defense.  They require different skills and attitudes from you as the leader.  And you must be able to play in both spaces to win, here are the keys.

Offense

Offense is the opportunity part of your job.  It is the aspect of being able to move ahead and take initiative, and take the hill.  As the Bible says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) Below is one of the most important parts of being an offensively competent leader.

   

See an opportunity that is not yet, before others do:  In your industry, be constantly scanning the horizon for a new idea, product or service.  You are tasked to literally see the future.  You must see something that is not now, but could be in time.  Lots of people in your area are doing that right now.  Get to that next big thing before it’s the next big thing.

   

Seeing the future is very difficult when you are in the midst of the daily grind, or solving issues, or dealing with a crisis.  This week, calendar 3 hours for yourself in which you can do what I call “thinking leader thoughts” with no distractions.  Do what only you can do from the 30,000 foot level.  Think about what is not yet, that could be.

Defense

No company, corporation or church is without problems.  They are part of reality and must be faced.  But the defensively competent leader goes beyond this and takes action to deal with problems.  Here is a major skill.  

   

Anticipate speed bumps before they become major accidents:  Look for problems, kinks, weaknesses and threats in your organization.  Analyze, review, evaluate, and ask people about all the bad news.  You do not want to be blindsided by a storm because you didn’t pay attention to it.   I had a very successful corporate leader who created a great company.  Then things went south because he did not see some economic climate changes that, had he paid attention, his company could have weathered.  He told me, “Those were my bulletproof days, and I am much more aware of threats now.”  As the saying goes, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you.  And as Solomon taught, “The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.” (Proverbs 14:16)

Conclusion

   

You will find yourself better at one of these than the other.  No one’s needle is right on the middle.  But spend some time and energy creating a balance.  It’s much better to be able to think in both directions and be agile enough for any reality, good or bad.  Don’t get caught missing an opportunity, or being surprised by a crisis.  God bless your leadership.  

—Dr. John Townsend

Dr. John Townsend is a psychologist, business and leadership coach and consultant, and author of 25 books, selling 5 million copies, including the 2 million bestseller Boundaries.  He conducts leadership coaching program in Dallas and is a visiting professor at Dallas Theological Seminary.
visit www.DrTownsend.com