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THE "UNREASONABLE LEADER" JOURNEY
What
propels those that seek to go around corners and leave the safety of
the known? What helps them to shape and share a vision that becomes a
"call to action?" What sustains them when others say "we've tried that
before" and "that's not going to work here" or "it's too hard" for us to
be successful?" The answer is "an unreasonable leader" mindset.
Each of us has our own journey that leads us to where we are and influences us for where we go. In our leadership journey, it is our mindset what makes the difference. Recently, I read the book "Unreasonable Leadership" by Gary Chartrand. This 2010 publication was filled with the power of a great story and practical guidance for achieving the unthinkable. From one chapter to the next, I found myself underlining points to revisit later. Chartrand's story, describes the mindset of an unreasonable leader and defines an unreasonable leader as one that "envisions the future, finds and articulates the proverbial "big hairy audacious goal", one that holds fast to convictions, inspires colleagues to move beyond their comfort zones, silences the naysayers, and achieves the impossible mission...whatever it takes."Under the leadership of a group of unreasonable leaders, Acosta Inc., a full-service sales and marketing firm, went from a company with annual revenues of $500,000 and a payroll of 12 employees in 1974 to more than 100 mergers that united 200 companies to a $1 billion company during this 35-year span. Acosta has transformed from a local to a national presence through a relentless focus on creating and executing a vision. Achieving these great results has inspired Chartrand to share his experience with us....below are some of the many lessons he describes in his book "Unreasonable Leadership."1. Understand What Unreasonable Leadership is All AboutEmbracing
the words of George Bernard Shaw:"All progress is made by Unreasonable
people." Chartrand defines an unreasonable leader as:"The unreasonable leader is the ever-determined Eternal Optimist who
eagerly faces challenges head-on, usually with a smile and always with
an intense desire to win, and win big. Moderate success is never enough,
and the status quo is never to be accepted. Unreasonable leadership, I
contend, "is a mindset as much as anything."Reflection: How would you define "unreasonable leadership" for yourself? What may hold you back from achieving....could it be your attitude? 2. Conduct a Brutal Assessment of Yourself. Focus on developing those things that make a difference in your leadership effectiveness.Gary Chartrand recognized early in life that he had a strong desire to become successful without knowing "how" to get there. Recognizing that he had much to learn, he began by brutally assessing himself. Painfully shy, he worked hard to change what he knew would hold him back. He pushed himself to try new behaviors. He read, watched and learned from leaders he admired; observing how they handled themselves and worked with others. He asked for help when confronted with challenging situations and quickly progressed in his leadership journey. Reflection: Do you "know what you don't know" and do you ask for help?
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INTRODUCING "THE EXECUTIVE JOURNEY"
My Executive Solutions Leadership Development Seminar Series
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Achieving a vision that seemed nearly impossible, having the courage to make difficult decisions, and leading with conviction transformed a company and its entire industry. 
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