The time we spend on topics where we can’t make a positive difference is stolen from topics where we can.
Like closing our office door so people hesitate before they knock, asking ourselves “Am I willing, at this time, to make the investment required to make a positive difference on this topic?” gives us a thin barrier of breathing room—time enough to inhale, exhale, and reflect on whether the outcome we seek is a true positive that is intended for the benefit of others, or a false positive that is intended to polish our own image.
For servant leaders who want to make serving others their primary mission, that’s a vital distinction.