We expect leaders to help us get where we want to go.
We want leaders to keep us moving in the right direction. There are times when we get turned around, when we forget what we are trying to accomplish. Sometimes we get stuck, unable to move forward. Sometimes it is very difficult for us to understand how what we need to do helps us make progress.
Leaders help us sort things out. They help us remember where we want to go and how we hope to get there.
Leaders tend to rely on tools like planning and budgeting, goals, objectives, and expected outcomes. They remind us what we have set out to do this month, this quarter, this year.
Part of being a good leader is guiding each of us as we move toward our common goals. Sometimes leadership means explaining how other people’s work relies on and relates to ours. Sometimes leadership means resolving conflicts or making things clearer. Sometimes leadership means making sure that we are challenged enough to do our best.
The leaders who inspire us do not merely stand and point.
It is easy for me to get caught up in my own perspective. It is easy for me to see my responsibilities as more essential than anyone else’s.
The leaders who inspire us remind us that what we are doing grows out of our shared core values. Our common purpose is not the product of goals or objectives, planning or budgets.
The leaders who inspire us help us remember the values that engage us deeply. They point past budgets and plans, past expectations and evaluations.
Leaders guide us as we explore our shared values and put them into practice.
Who is helping you get where you want to go?
Where is your leadership pointing today?
[Image by ElCapitanBSC]
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