(Consistency + Faithfulness) x Time = Lasting Impact

By Tim Bentum  |  September 2nd

I have made it a regular part of my annual rhythm to attend the Global Leadership Summit (GLS) in August each year. GLS is a two-day leadership conference that takes place in Chicago, Illinois, and is broadcast all over the world. To my knowledge, it is the largest leadership conference in the world in terms of its global reach, this year being viewed by over 350,000 people. Notably, the GLS is a distinctly Christian conference, meaning that it is organized and delivered from a Christian perspective. Although the conference has had its fair share of challenges and ups and downs over its 30-year history, it remains an inspiring, high-quality, Christ-centered event that is worth checking out if you have not attended before.

One of the front faces of the GLS in recent years is pastor Craig Groeschel. Craig led off this year’s GLS by reminding us of the high importance of consistency in the life of a leader. In fact, one of the ‘sticky’ phrases that he gave us is that highly effective leaders, leaders who leave a lasting impact, could actually be defined as downright ‘boring’. What Groeschel means by this is not that leaders should aim to have no new ideas or that they should speak in a monotonous voice at staff meetings. Conversely, he reminded us that in our modern world, leaders are often after immediate results, they often overvalue charisma, they seek platforms for their own gain and even if they don’t say it explicitly, they may welcome the fame and influence that can come with the position.

If we are honest with ourselves as leaders, at least some of these statements are likely true of us as a daily leadership struggle. When things don’t go well, we are tempted to downplay the results and/or blame others. When things do go well, we are tempted to step into the limelight to claim responsibility, even if in false-humility. The paradox is as complex as human beings themselves: as image-bearers and vice-regents (Gen. 1-2) of the one true King, we are capable of beauty beyond our imagination. However, as broken vessels (Ps. 31) and dim reflections (1 Cor. 13) in a broken world, even our best efforts are marred with mixed motives and unhealthy internal struggle.

So, to combat the ongoing temptation to seek a platform rather than to become a pillar, as author Mark Sayers puts it, Groeschel gives us this mathematical formula:

(Consistency + Faithfulness) x Time = Lasting Impact

Let’s break this formula down briefly through a Biblical lens:

Consistency – When I think of consistency, I think of the things that you do repeatedly that are often unseen. You do not do these things to impress others, and frankly they may never be noticed or praised externally. When someone talks about an ‘overnight success’, what they are actually referring to is repeated practice over a long period of time that has only just been noticed. In Biblical terms, I think about images like the yeast or the mustard seed in Jesus’ parables. The Kingdom of God often comes about in new and unexpected ways due to the ongoing and unseen work of everyday people who simply help their neighbours, pray, and read their Bibles. As a leader, where might you be more consistent?

Faithfulness – Faithfulness is is all about trust. Have you ever noticed that when you hear folks who are in the final third of their life sing a song like, ‘Great Is Thy Faithfulness’ in church, they often sing it with additional gusto? They have lived through life’s trials and tribulations, and they have firsthand experience seeing God’s faithfulness at work in their lives. They have developed their ‘trust muscles’ more than the average person. We might think of characters like Paul who had developed such a deep and rich trust in the already and not-yet Kingdom that his work, his timeline, his calling, and his relationships were all surrendered to God’s plan for him. In Paul’s words, ‘For me to live is Christ and to die is gain’ (Phil 1:21). As a leader, in what area of your leadership do you need to admit to yourself that you actually don’t have as much control as you’d like and that a higher level of trust is required?

Time – The one thing leaders never have enough of is time. It is common to hear ‘busy’ in response to a simple check-in question like, ‘How are you?’ However, author Seth Godin helpfully and somewhat provocatively reminds us that ‘You don’t need more time, you just need to decide.’ What Godin is getting at is that you have the same amount of time on a daily basis that every other human being has ever had. What do you prioritize? The thing about time is that it only moves in one direction; it is a long arc bending towards God’s justice and the coming Kingdom. The extremely limited amount of time that we all have is a gift from the Creator and over the course of a faithful life can have extraordinary impact. In Biblical terms, we may consider the work of God in the life of Moses, who over a long period of time was transformed from a murderer into a deliverer. As a leader, given that you can’t create more time, where do you need to prioritize?

Lasting Impact – When I think about a lasting impact, the legacy that each of us will leave behind, I think of the things that will be said about me at my funeral. It’s a depressing thought. But it is also motivating to me because it very quickly clarifies for me what is important in my life right now. The main place that your impact will be carried on is through the embodied experience of those you impacted. If my ultimate goal in life is to serve my Creator and by extension to have the people who are closest to me to have the best experience of me, what decisions do I need to make right now daily that will eventually add up to something considered a ‘lasting impact’? We may consider Paul’s words to his apprentice Timothy when he explicitly notes the impact of his grandmother Lois’ ‘sincere faith’, passed on to his mother Eunice and eventually embodied in young Timothy (2 Tim 1). What do you want people to say about you when you’re gone?

What you do consistently, on a daily basis (Consistency), and the trust that you exhibit in the One who created you and has a good plan for you (Faithfulness), multiplied by days and weeks and years of ‘deciding’ (Time), eventually equals a lasting legacy for the glory of God (Lasting Impact).

As you begin this new year, what lasting legacy do you want to leave behind?

Tim Bentum is the Director of Leadership and External Relations at Edvance.