Part 2 Of Lessons Learned From Mark Shead
Part 2 Of Lessons Learned From Mark Shead
We previously discussed the five traits of leadership presented by “The Leadership Challenge” as honesty, forward looking, competent, inspiring and intelligent. We focused last time on the trait of proactive honesty.
This time I would like to dig deeper into the trait of forward looking in relation to your ability to lead others.
Forward-Looking as a Leadership Trait
Mark references this trait as one that defines leadership. After all, he says, the whole point of leadership is to guide the way from one point, the point you are at now, to another, your goal. Much like the opinion of honesty, as a leader it is not enough to know where you are going and how you will get there. If you want to lead anyone except yourself, people need to be able to see the path you are leading them on. The only way for them to see this is if you are actively communicating your plan with them.
Once again, much like previously stated, it isn’t good enough to come up with a plan and hope people believe that you have a good one. They need to see you actively display your leadership.
Mark explains that when a leader is not considered to be forward thinking, it is because of two things:
1. They do not have a vision
Or
2. They are scared or unwilling to share the vision.
Having a vision means being able to accomplish today while still seeing the bigger picture. When someone is lacking vision, they tend to be too focused on today. From my own personal experience, I agree with Shead’s solution to this problem. Planning and thinking about the future is a sure fire way to help in creating a more forward looking mindset. I take a few hours every Sunday just for thinking, planning and visualizing the plans I have for the coming weeks and months. Once this is done, I can put proper focus on the present because I already know the plan for the future and what I am working towards.
“Many times when a leader has no time to think and plan for the future, it is because they are doing a poor job of leading in the present. They have created an organization and systems that rely too much on the leader for input at every stage.”- Shead
As far as the second problem, where someone has an idea and a vision but is scared to share with others, I can understand this problem as well. I have experienced it and seen it among the people I have coached. I have found that this comes when people start turning their vision into promises instead of plans.
As a leader, one needs to be able to separate a controllable factor from an uncontrollable. For example, with the company I run, I know we are going to expand and new responsibilities will be created. I am confident of that. However, I am not confident in telling someone their future because their choices are not within my control. I cannot tell someone they will definitely get the next promotion because, even though they may be displaying great work habits one day or week, I cannot control something as simple as whether they decide to show up on time the next day. That is their choice yet that does not change the vision of our growth.
Since I cannot control who steps up and earns those new responsibilities created during our growth, I cannot include any one person in my vision. That part is up to them. My vision, however, stays the same. We will grow and someone will take on the new promotion.
Another example is that I have a vision for how outstanding our work is going to be for our clients. I cannot promise that there will be zero mistakes. You see, I know I can control the quality of work I allow the client to receive by controlling the quality of work we hand them and by being selective during my hiring process. However, I cannot promise them that someone will not make a mistake. I can control my beliefs on integrity and honoring our people and client. However, I cannot control whether someone else will share my beliefs. This does not change my vision of having a great company that has great people and outstanding clients.
I have learned to set expectations clearly when explaining my vision to avoid someone confusing my vision with a promise of their future. They understand the choice is theirs not mine. They understand what I expect and that if they do what is expected of them, they are a part of the vision. I believe I should lead the way, not carry them. The leaders I coach understand my vision is to grow a great company and that those who earn responsibility through proven hard work, will receive the responsibilities.
I agree with Mark that leaders can communicate their goals and vision for the future without making promises that they may not be able to keep.
In conclusion, I think it is a great lesson that you must practice being a forward thinking leader every day by planning and setting clear expectations.
We previously discussed the five traits of leadership presented by “The Leadership Challenge” as honesty, forward looking, competent, inspiring and intelligent. We focused last time on the trait of proactive honesty.
This time I would like to dig deeper into the trait of forward looking in relation to your ability to lead others.
Forward-Looking as a Leadership Trait
Mark references this trait as one that defines leadership. After all, he says, the whole point of leadership is to guide the way from one point, the point you are at now, to another, your goal. Much like the opinion of honesty, as a leader it is not enough to know where you are going and how you will get there. If you want to lead anyone except yourself, people need to be able to see the path you are leading them on. The only way for them to see this is if you are actively communicating your plan with them.
Once again, much like previously stated, it isn’t good enough to come up with a plan and hope people believe that you have a good one. They need to see you actively display your leadership.
Mark explains that when a leader is not considered to be forward thinking, it is because of two things:
1. They do not have a vision
Or
2. They are scared or unwilling to share the vision.
Having a vision means being able to accomplish today while still seeing the bigger picture. When someone is lacking vision, they tend to be too focused on today. From my own personal experience, I agree with Shead’s solution to this problem. Planning and thinking about the future is a sure fire way to help in creating a more forward looking mindset. I take a few hours every Sunday just for thinking, planning and visualizing the plans I have for the coming weeks and months. Once this is done, I can put proper focus on the present because I already know the plan for the future and what I am working towards.
“Many times when a leader has no time to think and plan for the future, it is because they are doing a poor job of leading in the present. They have created an organization and systems that rely too much on the leader for input at every stage.”- Shead
As far as the second problem, where someone has an idea and a vision but is scared to share with others, I can understand this problem as well. I have experienced it and seen it among the people I have coached. I have found that this comes when people start turning their vision into promises instead of plans.
As a leader, one needs to be able to separate a controllable factor from an uncontrollable. For example, with the company I run, I know we are going to expand and new responsibilities will be created. I am confident of that. However, I am not confident in telling someone their future because their choices are not within my control. I cannot tell someone they will definitely get the next promotion because, even though they may be displaying great work habits one day or week, I cannot control something as simple as whether they decide to show up on time the next day. That is their choice yet that does not change the vision of our growth.
Since I cannot control who steps up and earns those new responsibilities created during our growth, I cannot include any one person in my vision. That part is up to them. My vision, however, stays the same. We will grow and someone will take on the new promotion.
Another example is that I have a vision for how outstanding our work is going to be for our clients. I cannot promise that there will be zero mistakes. You see, I know I can control the quality of work I allow the client to receive by controlling the quality of work we hand them and by being selective during my hiring process. However, I cannot promise them that someone will not make a mistake. I can control my beliefs on integrity and honoring our people and client. However, I cannot control whether someone else will share my beliefs. This does not change my vision of having a great company that has great people and outstanding clients.
I have learned to set expectations clearly when explaining my vision to avoid someone confusing my vision with a promise of their future. They understand the choice is theirs not mine. They understand what I expect and that if they do what is expected of them, they are a part of the vision. I believe I should lead the way, not carry them. The leaders I coach understand my vision is to grow a great company and that those who earn responsibility through proven hard work, will receive the responsibilities.
I agree with Mark that leaders can communicate their goals and vision for the future without making promises that they may not be able to keep.
In conclusion, I think it is a great lesson that you must practice being a forward thinking leader every day by planning and setting clear expectations.
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