Posts

Intentional Leadership – D5, W4, M1 – Weekend Prep – Vision

This is becoming our Friday routine. Did you anticipate it?

As we come to the end of this first month on our Intentional Leadership journey, will you spend some time in reflection of the work you’ve done over the past week and consider how it’s going?

Are you ahead of me this week and already have your weekend thought out?

How much rest do you need this weekend?

How much – and what kind of – activity do you need?

Who can you spend time with that will encourage, nurture, stimulate, support you?

Who needs some of your time and attention?

What do you need to do for yourself this weekend — to relax, refresh, reflect, reinvigorate?

What do you need to do to prepare yourself for a great start to next week, preparing for Monday?

As is my norm, I don’t have the time scheduled, but have a few things I know I need to attend to:

I need to get more sleep this weekend than I have been.

I will spend time reading, playing, and doing homework with my son.

I will read at least an hour of something fun and an hour of something on growth.

I will spend at least two hours working through curriculum in the John Maxwell Online University and at least two hours on business accounting.

I will call my parents. I will respond to some personal emails. I will handwrite a couple of letters — one to a mentor and one to an old roommate (I confess to not completing this task last weekend).

And I will prepare for Monday…as we all know, Monday is going to arrive; it always does. I know I feel better when I’ve given some thought to how I want it to be.

Again, what thought are you giving to things you have planned or need to prepare for or complete in the coming months?

On Monday, we will begin month two of our Intentional Leadership Journey, and our focus will shift from Vision to Relationships.

Remember, success comes from taking steps and doing work each and every day, consistently over time. You’ll see the benefits of your efforts if you are persistent and consistent.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll “see” you on Monday!

/by

Intentional Leadership — D4, W4, M1 — Vision

Thursday is the day for reflection.

Take some time today to consider what you heard from your trusted colleagues yesterday.

What did you hear that was good?

What did you hear that concerned you?

Would your work carry on because of the legacy you left?

One of the keys to success is self-awareness. This is true true regardless of the position you hold in an organization, and especially so for a leader. We must face the truth and learn from it.

What have you learned about yourself as you focused on your vision this month?

Where are you strong?

Where do you fall short?

What changes will you make in your leadership style as a result of this examination?

/by

Intentional Leadership — D3, W4, M1 — Vision

Armed with your clearly defined vision, the plans you drafted last week, and your evaluation of your preparation from yesterday, it’s now time to get some feedback from trust colleagues or confidants. As we all know, others often see us differently than we see ourselves, so it’s always good to get some insight from others.

Today, find two or three people who know you well, and are familiar with your work. It’s critical that you have sound relationships with these folks, because you need them to tell you the truth.

Ask them for their thoughts on what would happen with your team or organization if you were to leave; would the team/organization be able to carry on successfully without you?

Do they understand your vision well enough to continue driving toward it?

Are they committed to your vision such that they would continue to pursue it, even if you weren’t there to lead them?

Have you equipped them well enough to keep moving forward without you?

What are your answers to these questions? How do your answers fit with what you heard from others?

Several thoughts come to mind for me…

First, I’ve often thought it a sign of an effective leader that his/her team or organization is fully able to carry on the business of the organization in the leader’s absence. It says the leader developed a strong team, provided clear guidance and expectations, equipped the team with the resources it needed,  and is able to leave them to their work, knowing all will be well.

Second, having this kind of conversation with trusted colleagues will tell you a great deal about how you are perceived and the effectiveness of your leadership — provided you have developed trust-based relationships with them, so they will tell you the truth, even if it is uncomfortable.

Third, if the team/organization would continue to pursue your vision in your absence, it says the vision truly speaks to the others and they haven’t been “following” you simply because you have a title, position, or authority to make them do it.

As I often tell the leaders I coach, the higher you rise in an organization, the less likely you are to get the kind of candid feedback about your performance from those around and below you, and the more you really need it.

Seek it out!

And when you receive it, consider it a gift…just listen. Say “Thank you.” Reflect on what you heard. Follow up.

It will make you a better leader.

/by