THE INDISPENSABLE QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP: VISION

Helen Keller was asked, “What would be worse than being born blind?” She replied, “To have sight without vision.” Sadly, too many people are placed into leadership positions without a vision for the organization that they will lead. All great leaders possess two things: They know where they are going, and they are able to persuade others to follow.

VISION STATEMENTS: What you see is what you can be.

Four Vision — Level of People

1. Some people never see it. (They are wanderers)
2. Some people see it but never pursue it on their own. (They are followers)
3. Some people see it and pursue it. (They are achievers)
4. Some people see it and pursue it and help others to see it. (They are leaders)

A. You see what you are prepared to see: Automobile genius Henry Ford once came up with a revolutionary plan for a new kind of engine. We know it today as the V-8. Ford was eager to get his great new idea into production. He had some men draw up the plans and presented them to the engineers. As the engineers studied the drawings, one by one they came to the same conclusion. Their visionary boss just didn’t know much about the fundamental principles of engineering. He’d have to be told gently — his dream was impossible. Ford said, “Product it anyway.” They replied, “But it’s impossible.” “Go ahead,” Ford commanded, “ and stay on the job until you succeed, no matter how much time is required.” For six months they struggled with drawing after drawing, design after design. Nothing. Another six months Nothing. At the end of the year, Ford checked with engineers, and once again they told him that what he wanted was impossible. Ford told them to keep going. They did. An the discovered how to build V-8 engine. Henry Ford and his engineers both lived under the same sky, but they didn’t all have the same horizon.

B. What you see is what you get: Bobb Biehl, in his book “Increasing Your Leadership Confidence” says, “Keep in mind the difference between a winner’s and loser’s mentality. Winners focus on winning big — not just how to win, but how to win big. Losers, however, don’t focus on losing; they just focus on getting by!”

C. Personal Ownership of a Vision: Leaders can never take their people farther than they have travelled. Therefore, the focus of vision must be on the leader — like the leader, like people. Followers find the leader and then the vision. Leaders find the vision and then the people.

D. Look within you: What do you Feel?

1. A Person with a vision talks little but does much
2. A Visionary person does little but talks much
3. A person with a vision finds strength from inner convictions.
4. A visionary person finds strength from outward conditions
5. A person with vision continues when problems arise
6. A visionary person quits when the road becomes difficult.

E . Look Behind you; What have you learned?

F. Look around you: What is happening to others?

G. Look ahead of you: What is the Big Picture?

H. Look above you: What does god expect of you? God’s gift to me is my potential. My gift back to God is what I do with that potential.

I. Look beside you: What resources are available to you?

CORPORATE OWNERSHIP OF VISION

Level 1. Perception: Seeing what is now with the eyes of reality

Level 2. Probability: Seeing what will be with the eyes of discernment

Level 3. Possibility: Seeing what can be with the eyes of vision

Understanding What Hinders a Vision — Level — 1

1. Limited Leaders
2. Concrete Thinkers
3. Dogmatic Talkers
4. Continual Losers
5. Satisfied Sitters
6. Tradition Lovers
7. Census Takers
8. Problem Perceivers
9. Self — Seekers
10. Failure Forecasters

Setting the Proper Environment — Level — 2

1. Come Alongside of them: Let them see your heart before they see your hope. People don’t care how much you see until they see how much you care. I emphasize again: People buy into the leader before they buy into that leader’s vision Cultivate trust. Be transparent and patient. Go for the win-win. Remember, when you help people get what they want, they will help you get what you want. This can only be accomplished by building strong relationships with people.
2. Paint the picture for them
3. Horizon
4. Sun
5. Mountains
6. Birds
7. Flowers
8. Path
9. Yourself
10. Put the things they love in the picture

Opening Eyes to Possibilities — Level -3

1. Winners are less sensitive to disapproval and rejection — they brush it off.
2. Winners think “bottom line.”
3. Winners focus on the task at hand.
4. Winners are not superstitious — they say, “that’s life.”
5. Winners refuse to equate failure with self-worth
6. Winners don’t restrict thinking to established, rigid patterns.
7. Winners see the big picture
8. Winners welcome challenges with optimism
9. Winners don’t waste time in unproductive thought.

The successful level 3 leaders will see on three levels:

1. The Perceptible Level: What is now see — the eyes of reality. A leader listens on this level
2. The Probable Level: What will be seen — the eyes of discernment. A leader leads on this level
3. The Possible Level: What can be seen — the eyes of vision. A leader lives on this level

Vision is empowering to the leader who has it. Leaders do that for themselves and others.