What Leaders Have in Common With Comedians

Leaders improvise.
The ability to stand on a stage and perform improv comedy or theater is often referred to as a talent. When we watch a person on stage receive a small thread of an idea and turn it into a story or comedy routine, many think this behavior is a gift.

At this time of year, we tend to be focused on our plans and send our teams in a direction to achieve goals. We've written goals and set strategies. We tell each other this will be our best year ever.
At some point during every year, we are awakened to a reality of unforeseen obstacles. Things aren't going as planned.
Effective leaders have learned to make course adjustments on the fly.
Leaders who are able to adjust well tend to be more successful. Those leaders who focus on the wringing of hands and the unfairness of a thing tend to fizzle out.
Quick response to market conditions or other intrusions is really not an issue of talent. We aren't born with a gift to zig and zag. Experience teaches leaders that things rarely go as planned.
Good planning documents include a lifeboat scenario. We think and prepare for what could happen.
But above all that we think or do, we have the Holy Spirit to lead us in a new direction with a well-lit path.
There are no surprises in the kingdom of God. If we remain diligent in our prayer and Bible study life, it's not likely that we will miss the need to make a course correction.
I believe a portion of God's favor is to help us with our vision. It's the spiritually blind who are often shocked or surprised by changing climates. It should be hard to sneak up on a leader who is led by the Holy Spirit.
I don't need the talent of improv. It suggests that I can do it.
Lord, help me to remain fully dependent upon the Holy Spirit to direct my path.