Leadership Vision Always Wins
As leaders in our organisations, we have so much we want to do and achieve. There are always initiatives to drive the company forward and achieve our vision.
We know what we want to achieve – all it takes is putting the plan in place. Then why are we so often putting things off and making excuses?
If you’re falling behind with the big picture, and your focus and vision are wavering, how can you get back on track? When you’re confronted with a crisis or a change moment, such as the loss of a key staff member, losing a high-profile client, or a colleague committing fraud, it can be very hard to retain that vision. You’re too busy trying to put the fires out to worry about the future.
But without that vision to drive us forward, we’re going to end up static – sitting in the same place we always have. That position may feel safe – we’re not taking risks or stepping outside our comfort zone – but it’s actually incredibly precarious. All around us, the world is constantly changing, the market adapting, the technology improving. Disruptors are winning the market.
As Albert Einstein once famously didn’t say (this does not diminish the truth of the maxim), “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”
Are you guilty of letting your leadership vision waver? Do you need to break away from the daily grind and work toward achieving your leadership and strategic vision?
COMMUNICATE YOUR VISION
Henry Ford wanted to create a vehicle that every family would be able to afford. John F Kennedy dreamed of putting a man on the moon. Steve Jobs wanted to create a computer that anyone could use to produce their own creative visions. All these visions are simple, yet all have disrupted the status quo, and as a result, have had an incredible impact on the world.
Vision is simple. Its purpose distilled down into a simple statement of purpose. Great leaders don’t just have this vision, but they are able to find a way to communicate that vision to others in a way that captivates imagination and inspires innovation. You alone don’t have all the pieces required to bring that vision to life, but what you do have is the ability to create the statement of purpose and bring in others who can embrace that vision and help you make it happen.
VISION REQUIRES PERSISTENCE
If you want to live out your vision for success, you need to be able to continue to strive for it even when things aren’t going your way. Persistence is the key trait that separates those at the top from those who have given up on their vision, who have lost focus on the endgame.
Arnold Schwarzenegger once said of quitting, “I learned helplessness is the giving-up reaction, the quitting response that follows from the belief that whatever you do doesn’t matter.” If you’re wavering on your focus, think on this – are you not pushing because you suspect you’d be pushing in the wrong direction? It takes discipline to step back and reflect upon what’s going on, to ask yourself what you’ve achieved and if it aligns with your ultimate vision of success.
Is it time to adapt the game plan? Is your lack of persistence revealing the flaw in your vision? Then it’s time to go back to strategy and refine that vision until it sings, until it is what drives you forward through any change or adversity.
Leaders with great vision achieve remarkable things, but only if they have the ability to engage and excite others with the possibilities of that vision, and the persistence to drive forward no matter what stands in their way.
Be this leader in your organisation. Learn more about high-performance leadership in our free guide, The Four Cornerstones of Strategic Execution.
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