I had knee surgery two weeks ago.  I’m progressing well, thanks to a good surgeon and good physical therapists. 

I’ve thought about my orthopedic surgeon and what he taught me about time management.  Prior to my surgery, I was given a list of instructions and what I needed to take care of prior to surgery.  During my pre-surgery visit, the surgeon sat down and explained what the surgery would entail, what recovery would like, and answered my questions.  He was giving information that only he could give.

The day of my surgery, I met with the usual round of nurses, anesthesiologists, and aides.  Then my surgeon came in, spoke words of encouragement, marked which knee would be replaced, and prayed with me (a very kind gesture).  Then I was wheeled into the operating room.  One man was mopping the floor, which I was glad to see!  Nothing discourages you like the bone fragments from the last surgery.  The nurse was getting me up on the operating table, the anesthesiologist was giving me my spinal block, and then… I don’t remember a thing until I woke up in the recovery room.  I was glad the spinal tap worked!

The recovery room nurse’s job was to tell me to move my toes.  It’s a weird feeling to have toes, to see them, and not be able to move them.  Eventually I was able to wiggle them and get up to my room.

So what Leadership Lessons did I learn?  First, good leaders prepare people for what they will face.  No one likes surprises.  People are more likely to trust a leader who tells them what’s ahead.  Even more, good leaders assure people they have been through this before.  I could tell this was not the first rodeo for my team.

What if it is your first rodeo?  That’s when you “rent” an expert.  When our church decided to relocate, I was 38 years old and had never been through anything like a complete relocation.  But a relocation consultant was recommended to me.  He had consulted with 30 churches about relocation.  He came in for a weekend, then stayed with us through the design and move in stages.  People trusted his experience and in time, came to trust me.

Second, a good leader has a good team.  While the surgeon was important, so was the transport guy, the shave guy (don’t ask), the guy mopping the operating room floor, and all the rest.  Imagine if the surgeon had to do all these things!  A good leader makes sure his team knows their role, trains them in their role, and then gives them room to do their jobs.  The surgeon was not checking behind the team; he trusted them to do their jobs and they honored his trust.

Finally, I admired my surgeon’s time management.  He was focused on doing what he did best.  What he did best was surgery (and I was glad).  It made me rethink my schedule.  What am I doing out of guilt?  What am I doing that someone else could do better?  Where can I add the most value to our church? 

Every leader needs a “stop doing” list.  You may not be able to stop doing everything at once, but you need to have goals of what to stop doing and a timeline to shoot for.

My main leadership lessons from my surgery?  A good leader prepares people for what is coming; a good leader develops and is part of a good team; and a good leader focuses on doing what only he or she can do!