LEADERSHIP & TIME
Today is the Tomorrow, I worried I I about Yesterday!
– Dale Carnegie
There’s so much to be said about leadership, especially in today’s times. Instead of focusing on the leadership styles, which include transformational, transactional, or servant…or focusing on leadership qualities such as integrity, resilience, and decisiveness…consider a Leader and Time.
An effective leader Reflects on the Past … is Mindful of the Present … and Guides Skillfully into the Future.
Reflects on the Past: One must know and learn from the past in order to make sure the missteps, mishaps, and mistakes aren’t repeated. Reflecting on Enron, Kodak, Blockbuster, and other companies that made costly business mistakes and poor decisions provides ample lessons that teach “what not to do”.
Mindful of the Present: Recognizing that “right now” is all there is, is sobering and helps ensure we consider as many factors as possible, from as many perspectives as possible, when making decisions. It’s an awareness that what I do, what I say, and my approach not only impacts “now”, but also “later”.
Guides Skillfully into the Future: While there is no way to accurately predict the future, an effective leader, through vision and foresight, moves towards the best desired outcome, plans for it, and anticipates challenges that may occur along the way. This leader is well prepared through strategy development, data analysis, and collaborative planning to inspire and motivate everyone in the organization towards greater business outcomes individually and corporately.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1) What lessons, from the past, assist you in your leadership role?
2) How does realizing that “right now is all there is” impact you as a leader?
3) As a leader, what do you use to prepare, strategize, and plan for the future?