Stephen Wise Bloghttps://integrationprofessionals.com/BlogHow to be a great leader | Stephen Wise | Integration Professionalshttps://integrationprofessionals.com/Blog/how-to-be-a-great-leaderStrategySun, 24 Jan 2021 17:21:25 GMTThree skills you can work on. Vision, Clarity, and Effective Decision-making.<p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Colin Powell, the retired US Four-Star General says to remain calm and be kind. He also has a rule - to have a demanding vision. Vision, he says, is our destination.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <h1 style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Have a Vision of the future</span></span></span></h1> <h2 style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Vision, what is it? Where do I find it?</span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Vision is not “Establishing vaccination guidelines and agreements, activating a network of furloughed retail workers, and implementing a military supply-chain technology for transportation and storage.” That is the strategy.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Vision is not “Vaccinating all the citizens against COVID by September 2021”. That is a goal, that will be driven by the Strategy.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Vision is higher than that. Vision is not something that exists today. It is something that is imagined that could be created in the future.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Developing a compelling vision is done by looking into yourself. What are your beliefs? What do you believe is possible? Figuring out who you are, why you are here, and what is most valuable to you.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Cultivating vision is a process. It does not emerge during an off-site, or from reading leadership philosophies, or watching an inspiring movie.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">To be visionary you need to set aside significant time to percolate these questions.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <h2 style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Provide Clarity of desired results</span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Bruce Lee may have said, “The successful warrior is the average person, with laser-like focus.” Results require change. Without change there is no result. Motivating anyone to change is expecting them to work towards the unseen and unknown. At every level of challenge this is a fundamental issue that needs an answer every day.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Giving your team the answer they need is not difficult, your job is to provide clarity.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">You need to communicate to your team the information they need to risk working on the unseen and unknown.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Explain to your team what is most important. Work with them so they understand why the choices made are the best choices. When the team is aligned on what is most important they will have clarity on the desired results.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <h2 style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Demonstrate effective Decision making</span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Nelson Mandela said that “Action without vision is only passing time. Vision without action is merely daydreaming. But vision with action can change the world.” Standing on the shoulders of giants, I say the sum of the actions will not be productive without a robust decision-making process.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">The problem with change is that, only after starting, on the way to achieving results, does the solution emerge. The detail is previously unknown on what is required, how it will come together, and what is needed. Leaders who make the mistake of communicating their vision from on high, hiring the best team, and delegating all responsibility for results will be in for a surprise.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Leaders need to reserve time to develop vision and they need to be effective at engaging others to deliver lofty goals. However, do not let go of the steering wheel and don’t look away from the dashboard.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">You need to ensure that everyone is aware of and reliant on a process for obtaining your decisions on how the strategy and goals are to being met. You need to ensure that you are aware of and broadly communicating key decisions to all stakeholders. If you miss this – you will more than likely not recognise the final product.</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <h2 style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">Questions for you to ponder.</span></span></span></h2> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <ol> <li style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">What would be an example of a Vision that is supported by the vaccination goal and strategy mentioned above?</span></span></span></li> <li style="margin-bottom: 11px;"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">How have great leaders from demonstrated these three skills of Vision, Clarity, and Decision-making? (e.g., George Washington, Martin Luther King Jr., Captain Kirk)</span></span></span></li> </ol> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">STEPHEN D WISE</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif"></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">INTEGRATION PROFESSIONALS</span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom:11px"><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:107%"><span style="font-family:Aptos,sans-serif">DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE TRACTION</span></span></span></p>