The one quality that all leaders have in common is that
they have a clear and exciting vision for the future. This is something that
only the leader can do. Only the leader can think about the future and plan for
the future each day.
Take the Time to Think
Excellent
leaders take the time to think through and develop a clear picture of where
they want the organization to be in one, three and five years. Leaders have the
ability to communicate this vision in such a way that others "buy in"
and eventually see the vision as belonging to them.
Motivate
People to Give of Their Best
It is the
vision of the future possibilities, of what can be, that arouses emotion and
motivates people to give of their best. The most powerful vision is always
qualitative, aimed at and described in terms of values and mission rather than
quantitative, which is described in terms of money and numbers.
Money is Important
Of
course, money is important, but the decision and commitment to "be the
best in the business" is far more exciting.
Keep Your Cool
Another
key to leadership success is for you to "keep your cool." A study at
Stanford Business School examined the qualities that companies look for in
promoting young managers toward senior executive positions, especially the
position of Chief Executive Officer. The study concluded that the two most
important qualities required for great success were, first, the ability to put
together and function as part of a team. Since all work is ultimately done by
teams, and the managers' output is the output of the team, the ability to
select team members, set objectives, delegate responsibility and finally, get
the job done, was central to success in management.
Practice is Everything
The
second quality required for rapid promotion was found to be the ability to
function well under pressure, and especially in a crisis. Keeping your cool in
a crisis means to practice patience and self-control under difficult or
disappointing circumstances.
People Are Watching
The
character and quality of a leader is often demonstrated in these critical
moments under fire, when everyone is watching, observing and privately taking
notes. As Rudyard Kipling once said, "If you can keep your head when all
around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you, then the world is yours and
all that's in it".
Your job
as a leader is to have a clear vision of where you want to go and then to keep
your cool when things go wrong, as they surely will.
Action Exercises
Here are
two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action:
First,
project forward 3-5 years and imagine your ideal future vision. What does it
look like? What steps can you take immediately to begin turning your future
vision into your current reality?
Second,
resolve in advance that, no matter what happens, you will remain calm and cool.
You will not become upset or angry. You will take a deep breath and focus on
the solution rather than on the problem.
Shared By - Haroon
