First and foremost, leaders must have vision. Without knowing where you want to go or where you want to take your organization, you will wander aimlessly. Think of it as a compass heading: chart your course and develop a plan on how to reach your destination.
But having a vision is not enough. You must be able to communicate that vision in ways that people can understand and be inspired to make the journey with you.
The world is changing around us, sometimes faster than we can react. Technology is changing daily, we get more information faster than ever before and the impact of globalization and the ever-changing economy affects us more than we care to admit or understand.
If we are to continue to grow personally and organizationally, we must be open to change and to keeping our organization competitive. If we stay stuck in our own self-imposed limitations we will miss opportunities, become discouraged, discourage those around us and lose support as opportunities pass us by.
Alan Weiss wrote in a recent Monday Morning Memo:"In organizations, the ability to change for the best is often a question of whether senior people will listen and offer avenues of communication to do so, or whether they are insulated and aloof, and those with new and bold ideas get 'whacked" by the status quo."
Some individuals are successful in accomplishing change - they have to be in order to survive. Yet others try and fail. Successfully changing yourself or your organization is essential for avoid stagnation and becoming frustrated in our jobs. As Robert Fritz wrote in his bookThe Path of Least Resistance for Managers: "The path unchanged equals more of the same patterns. The path changed equals new possibilities for success."
Many of my coaching assignments are with individuals who want to make a change in their lives; whether it is how they lead, how they communicate, how they balance their lives or how they prepare their organization to be ready for the next challenge. But changing oneself is not easy; it requires a strong will and a strong moral compass. It must be done with a purpose.
Antonio Lucio recently wrote the following in the February/March 2011 Issue of PODER Hispanic Magazine:
Purpose is the driving force of our life, the work that will define our legacy. It is what we want to be remembered by, not by the world necessarily, but by the people who love us. Purpose is the impact we have on the things and people we touch. .....purpose or moral compass is defined by the answer to several questions, such as: What are we here to do? What is our motivation? How do we intend to carry ourselves through the process? Do we have the "never break" principles for the journey?
Few people say change is easy. If it was, everybody would continuously be improving themselves and creating dynamic change in their organizations. Life is about process and process is about 'things' changing. The first thing we must do is change ourselves, then we can change our business or organization, then we can change the world.
I have helped clients change and as a result "things' around them have changed and they, their fellow workers and their families are better because of it.
To quote Robert E. Quinn: "One key to successful leadership is continuous personal change. Personal change is a reflection of our inner growth and empowerment."
If you want to discuss making some positive changes in your life, in your leadership or management skills, or if you know someone in your organization who wants to make positive changes in their lives, please contact me. Coaching is about helping people go from where they are to where they want to be. Let me help them make a change for the better.
Until next month, be open to change, and take care.
