I love this definition on leadership by Warren Bennis, an American scholar and pioneer of the field of Leadership Studies. He says, "Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality."
When leading, many of us get caught up in the details. And usually, our energies are drained in these details that we lose sight of the bigger vision. We need to empower people who can manage these "details" and focus on making the vision into reality. Thus, for us to be on track in leading, allow me to share my recent learning:
1. Draw a Road Map. Begin with drawing up the vision (which is the destination of the road map), then work backwards to where you are now. Working backwards means to continually ask, "How can the vision be achieved?"
2. Look for People who can move you Forward. We enlist the people who can best deliver the requirements to move us forward in the road map. Many times we commit the mistake of getting the people first and trying to match the task. We have to define the task first, then look for the people who can achieve it.
3. Empower Your Team. It is important that your team embraces the vision and knows exactly how they are contributing towards it. Teamwork and trust helps us move forward faster. As Covey would put it, "The Speed of Trust."
4. Apply Kaizen. Kaizen, a japanese word means "Change for the better." As we strive towards our vision, we seek for continuous improvement. We can apply the PDCA cycle which is, "Plan-Do-Check-Adjust." Using this cycle, we are able to enhance our methods and advance further towards our vision. We do all these in prayer with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus came from heaven to earth to save us from our sins, to set us free (Luke 4). This was His vision, His road map while on earth. He called the 12 apostles and empowered them. He died for our sins, and brought salvation to mankind. And before ascending into heaven, he tells His apostles, "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12). Jesus tells them that they will do greater things (like Kaizen) because the Father will send the Holy Spirit.
Christ has called us to lead with vision. Let us once again fall in love with the vision that we have and share this romance with those we lead.
When leading, many of us get caught up in the details. And usually, our energies are drained in these details that we lose sight of the bigger vision. We need to empower people who can manage these "details" and focus on making the vision into reality. Thus, for us to be on track in leading, allow me to share my recent learning:
1. Draw a Road Map. Begin with drawing up the vision (which is the destination of the road map), then work backwards to where you are now. Working backwards means to continually ask, "How can the vision be achieved?"
2. Look for People who can move you Forward. We enlist the people who can best deliver the requirements to move us forward in the road map. Many times we commit the mistake of getting the people first and trying to match the task. We have to define the task first, then look for the people who can achieve it.
3. Empower Your Team. It is important that your team embraces the vision and knows exactly how they are contributing towards it. Teamwork and trust helps us move forward faster. As Covey would put it, "The Speed of Trust."
4. Apply Kaizen. Kaizen, a japanese word means "Change for the better." As we strive towards our vision, we seek for continuous improvement. We can apply the PDCA cycle which is, "Plan-Do-Check-Adjust." Using this cycle, we are able to enhance our methods and advance further towards our vision. We do all these in prayer with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus came from heaven to earth to save us from our sins, to set us free (Luke 4). This was His vision, His road map while on earth. He called the 12 apostles and empowered them. He died for our sins, and brought salvation to mankind. And before ascending into heaven, he tells His apostles, "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father (John 14:12). Jesus tells them that they will do greater things (like Kaizen) because the Father will send the Holy Spirit.
Christ has called us to lead with vision. Let us once again fall in love with the vision that we have and share this romance with those we lead.
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