This afternoon I was meeting with my apprentice leader, and we were talking about those crucial conversations when we're asking a leader or potential leader to take the next step in his or her leadership journey.  We refer to these conversations as “making the ask.”  An “ask” is that pivotal conversation when you sit across from someone and ask him to step up and lead, often for the first time or in a more significant and influential way. One way to think about this is to recognize the difference between making a “big ask” versus a “mini-ask.” 

What is the difference between a big ask and a mini-ask, you might ask?  Jesus made big asks. He asked his disciples to go into hostile communities, cast out demons, call for repentance, and heal the sick, all while taking nothing with them—no bags, no money, not even an extra jacket. This was not a mini-ask. When it comes to the asks we make of potential leaders, we tend to minimize them—asking for the bare minimum rather challenging leaders to a significant opportunity. 

What Happens When We Make Mini-Asks?

When we fail to make the big ask and settle for a lower level of commitment, we place the development of that leader in jeopardy in a number of ways.

1. We Minimize that Person’s Potential.  When we dumb down a leadership ask, people go into whatever was asked of them with low expectations. We think we’re doing this person and the church a favor by getting the person to say yes to the ask, so we make it seem manageable or more doable. We figure getting them in is the desired outcome, rather than fulfilling God’s dream for them to reach their greatest potential.

2. We Minimize the Vision.  When we lower the bar on leadership asks, we make the mission of helping people find their way back to God seem insignificant, hardly worthwhile. Consequently, we are less likely to attract high-capacity leaders. Jesus’ challenge was to “follow me.” He told us up front that we might need to leave behind houses, family, and friends to do it. What if, instead of challenging his followers to a high level of commitment, Jesus had said, “What I’m asking you to consider is not that big of a deal, really. It will only take a few hours out of your week to follow me.” When we ask someone to step up to leadership or ask them to take another step forward in their leadership path, we are asking them to join a missional force that is called to change the world. That is a huge vision, and it demands a big ask.

3. We Minimize God.  When we make mini-asks of developing leaders, we are putting tight parameters on what God can accomplish through someone. Who says God can’t change the world through you? If we ask people to step up to a task that is small and manageable, we should expect only small, manageable results.

Tomorrow I will share a helpful equation to remember when you're about to make a big ask.