Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Create a Repeatable Compelling Vision

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Leadership is about inspiring people and lifting them up – not tiring people and putting them to sleep.

If you're running an organization of any size, make sure it has a repeatable compelling vision and sense of purpose.

If possible you should have a clear and concise singular vision. You want to get to a point that nearly every activity the organization tackles is linked toward supporting that compelling vision. Make it memorable and repeatable so that every message, action and strategy you engage in supports the purpose with an obvious connection.

Word and promote the vision in a way that others can understand, support, be excited by, grow some passion around, and be inventive in discovering numerous ways to achieve it. 

Too often people spend too much time and energy trying to create a literary masterpiece instead of a clear, easy to follow and understand vision. It’s a terrible waste of resources.

Does your organization have a repeatable compelling vision and sense of purpose? (If it does, what is it?)

Does it excite you or anyone else?

Monday, January 14, 2013

Vision Helps You See Clearly

EyesIf you're like most folks you spent the last few weeks in a reflective and hopefully celebratory mode. Now that you’re out of the holiday haze, give some thought to next December.

What do you want it to look like? What will be different? What will remain the same? What will you intentionally get rid of? What might you find before the end of the year?

Having a vision of the future gives you direction. When you can create a compelling picture of a desired place it’s easier to marshal the resources needed to get there.

Leaders without vision are follower-less.
Artists without vision don’t create, they replicate.
Entrepreneurs without vision have no idea.

Make the time to visualize the end of the year. If you can’t visualize it - you can’t have it. Be as vivid as possible. What will it take for this to be a standout year for you?

“How” doesn’t have a place setting yet. Right now it’s just you and “what”. What do you want to have, be do or become over the next 50 weeks or so? Start with your vision - only then will you see clearly.

Achievers Tip:
Before you embark on any endeavor ask for a picture of success. If it’s not clear, how will you know if you’re on the right track or not? And when you’re the one providing the vision, make sure it’s clear to everyone. Your description of where you want to go should tantalize all the senses.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

50 Book Challenge


Four years ago I was struck by the famous Charlie ‘Tremendous’ Jones quote, “You are the same today you’ll be in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read.”
That sobering thought coupled with my daughter’s voracious reading, inspired me to begin tracking how many books I read over the course of a year. Fifty seemed like a good number. I’ve since learned it’s a number some scoff at as too low and others bemoan as too hard. I don’t really care, adjust it to how you see fit.

I’ve adapted to reading on my iPad and now find myself reading several books, usually non-fiction, concurrently. I also read the books my daughter deems worthy.

It’s a good habit to log what you’ve read. Use a journal, Amazon, Goodreads, or download the log I’ve created. It’s fun to see what you’ve accomplished and what you’ve learned along the way.

Even though reading is an investment in your mind, many people still find excuses not to pick up a book. Lack of time is the most common. Knock it off and make a commitment. Shave an hour off your TV time, or curb some mindless web surfing. You don’t have to be a stickler, to me, audio books count. And don’t be a snob; all books are valid, thick or thin, fiction or non-fiction alike. Maybe you’ll choose to keep track of how many books you read aloud to a child or a grandparent.

Start with fifty books. Want a few suggestions? Click Here