What single quality differentiates high-potential leaders from ordinary contributors in an organization? It’s their ability to be forward-looking and focus on the future. To become a better leader or distinguish yourself as someone primed for promotion, you’ll want to develop your capacity to envision the future. Focusing on the future sets leaders apart. The capacity to imagine and articulate exciting … Read More
What People Want from Leaders
Leadership professors Barry Posner and Jim Kouzes, after surveying thousands of people on ideal leadership qualities, reveal that the ability to look forward is second only to honesty as the most admired trait. On average, 70 percent of workers worldwide select “forward-looking” as a key leadership competency. Think about the leaders you’ve followed or admired. The great ones are visionaries … Read More
How Far Can You See?
Do you look beyond what’s in front of you, especially when daily tasks take up so much time and energy? How do you become future-oriented and still handle day-to-day challenges? While the ability to focus on the future separates leaders from the rank-and-file, many of us fail to understand and appreciate its importance. We devote almost no time to developing … Read More
Sparking Energy for What Really Matters
Here’s the problem: In tough economic times, everyone hunkers down on tactics. They focus on survival and results. Decisions become pragmatic. After a while, however, this short-term approach grinds us down, and we lose sight of the big picture. In today’s difficult times, people need to be reminded of why they are doing what they do — and why it … Read More
3 Ways to Grow Your Future-Focus
There are three ways to expand your ability to become more future-oriented and hone your leadership effectiveness. In The Truth About Leadership (Jossey-Bass, 2010), Posner and Kouzes urge readers to spend time learning about the future through: Insight Outsight Foresight Insight: Explore Your Past This exercise that follows will help you connect your past experiences and values with your current … Read More
You Can See Forever
To become a better leader, or to be seen as a high-potential leader, spend more time in the future. At some point, a future focus will permeate your thinking and saturate your communications. Everything you do and say will remind people of the future you want to create —for yourself, your colleagues, your customers and the organization. You will draw … Read More