Saturday, January 29, 2011

Vision Creation is Easy

I see a lot of courses offering training on how to create vision but everyday I see a lot of people creating visions and I believe that the true test for a leader is not the ability to create a vision but to see them through.

I have seen successful leaders realize their visions and I have looked at some of the strategies they applied to make them members of the rare few. Here are some of my observations.

1) They look for big gaps that require a solution - if the problem is not big enough and impact of the solution not magnificent enough - the vision is not a vision but simply a glance.

2) They connect the vision to reality including planning out resources that will be needed to bridge the gaps. Without the connection to reality - the vision is not a vision but simply a dream.

3) They are persistent in seeing the vision through and does not allow obstacles to get in the way. Without persistence - the vision is not a vision but simply a hobby.

4) They are flexible on the approach. Although they are clear on the desired outcome - they realize that challenges will be present and they constantly re-evaluate if the path they are currently taking is still the right path to get them through. Without this constant check and flexibility - the vision is not a vision but simply a task.

If you cannot make your vision realizable and see them through - a leader is not a visionary but simply a manager.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Power of Belief

Whether you believe you would succeed or not in your endeavors and projects - you are right. Similar to the saying "what you eat is what you are" - what you truly believe will be will be.

I have read and heard so many stories that centers on the power of belief - the miner that never stopped believing he will one day find gold and after 17 years - he did and for each day of that 17 years he never stopped believing - or the story of the lottery winner who said that 2 months before she one it - she believed 100% that she will win and the belief was so strong that she actually won the amount she believed she would win - 100,000. Just read around - the stories are all over if you open your eyes to them. So many of them that it can't be just a matter of luck or due to chance encounters. It can only be because of one thing - a strong belief - faith.

The same goes with those projects that seem to be way over what you are capable of or too career risking or too complex or too difficult. They are what they are because you already convinced yourself early on that they carry those characteristics. If you believe though that whatever gets thrown at you - you would make yourself succeed then congratulation - you are already on your way.

A lot of people want to believe and a lot more would claim they tried it and it never happened. Doubt is the enemy because doubt paralyzes potential and prevents success.

Don't be a victim of doubt - believe - have faith - and it will be.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

How to Reach Your Career Destination - the GPS Way

A lot of us wonder why we seem to be stuck in our careers or why we have not yet reached our goal but at the same time though we have no problem using our GPS to get to our destinations so let's see how we can use the same GPS methodology to get to where we want to be.

1. Know exactly where you are going. Don't just think to yourself - I want to be a CEO or a VP or the best entrepreneur there is - really plan out the details - as if you are already living it. Write down your age, what your position is,what you are earning, where you a living - with as much detail as possible. Even GPS units need the whole address to get to its destination.

2. Know exactly where you are now. If you are not entirely sure by just thinking about it yourself because you are too "in to it" - do what GPS units do - find satellites. Industries typically call these reviews a 360 degree review but be brave and ask the questions that need to be ask from your peers, direct reports, managers - anyone who can give you their perspective of where you are right now.

3. Know how to get from here to there. Determine the best route possible based on your risk-tolerance or desire. Do you want a faster route - which may mean higher levels of stress(GPS analogy - tolls)? Do you want the scenic route? Do you want to avoid side streets or what we may call horizontal learning?

4. Check regularly if you are still on track and if not, recalculate. Putting down the end point, knowing your start point and drawing a line between the two points is just the start but a big start. You must also be prepared for unexpected turn of events or change in plans. The "street" you were planning to traverse might be under constructin or closed and thus you must regularly check your progress and make changes when necessary. You might even decide along the route that your end point has changed but the same steps apply - just follow your own internal GPS.