You’re the same today as you will be
in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books you
read. – Charlie
“Tremendous” Jones
About 350
years ago, as the story is told, a shipload of travelers landed on the
northeast coast of America. The first year they established a town site. The
next year they elected a town government. The third year the town government
planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness.
In the fourth
year the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it
was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles into a wilderness. Who
needed to go there anyway?
Here we had
people who had the vision to see three thousand miles across an ocean and
overcome great hardships to get there but in a few short years were not able to
see even five miles out of town. They had lost their pioneering vision. They
were unable to move beyond their current boundaries.
If not
careful, we too can get stagnant where we are and not move forward with fresh
thinking and ideas. Expanding your borders as a leader and as an organization
is about growth. Will your current way of thinking cause you to move forward in
a positive way? Are you placing limits on the possibilities that could be
yours? Here are three boundary busters that I think held the people back 350
plus years ago that could be holding you back today.
Having a big vision without the big
picture.
Initially
the people knew what they were signing up for and went along. But the vision
that took them 3,000 miles at the start would not take them five additional
miles at the end. Buy-in at the beginning of your vision is imperative but if
there is no big picture to motivate your people to its completion it’s tragic.
An
unfulfilled vision will frustrate you as a leader and disillusion your people. If you want to expand your boundaries beyond
where you are today then your people must see the big picture. Open it up to
them. Let them see the steps in the process and why they are needed. Do your
people know your ten year plan? How about a five year plan? Do you know it? When your vision is clear
then the big picture will make sense but not until then. If you want your
followers to know it then it’s up to you as the leader to share it.
Limitless possibilities constrained
by limited accomplishment.
The first
few years these new travelers did what was necessary. They established a town
site and government. By all accounts they were making progress. But a shift
happened. Their thinking changed. What do you suppose happened? My guess is
that the urgency of the vision that brought them there has now settled and they
have become comfortable.
Complacency is a threat to any organization and leader. When you allow yourself and those you lead to “auto-pilot” their work, goals, or expectations then you have become settled. You may not be losing ground but you are certainly not gaining any. The townspeople could not see the big picture because they were comfortable. Never mind that they could have expanded their borders and improved their way of life. So long as you are comfortable where you are you will never expand your borders.
Complacency is a threat to any organization and leader. When you allow yourself and those you lead to “auto-pilot” their work, goals, or expectations then you have become settled. You may not be losing ground but you are certainly not gaining any. The townspeople could not see the big picture because they were comfortable. Never mind that they could have expanded their borders and improved their way of life. So long as you are comfortable where you are you will never expand your borders.
Small thinking in the face of great
possibility.
Surely there
was more to the 3,000 mile journey than a cozy little township. Was not
surviving the hardships of sea now worth greater exploration? Expanding your
borders is not about settling. Do you not have new trails to blaze? Do you not
have new discoveries to make? Sadly, in
the face of such great opportunity were those who were ready to obstruct
progress.
The lesson
learned here is this: Not everyone who starts with you will finish with you.
Not everyone will pay the price to go to the next level. The greater the
sacrifice the fewer your numbers will be. Many will want to bask in your
accomplishments but not all will help you get there. But leaders understand
this and will not hold it against them. It is the point of separation. If you
want to expand your boundaries as a leader you must be willing to pay the
price. Sometimes you will travel alone. But your possibilities are there for the taking if you are willing to lead the way.
What do you
say?
© 2014 Doug
Dickerson
I invite your feedback!
1. What boundary-busters are you
challenged with?
2. How can you more effectively share
your vision and big-picture with those you lead?
3. In what ways can you encourage
those you lead to take the journey with you?
1 comment:
I agree with you Doug. I believe that small thinking in the face of great possibility is a tough boundary. It can be hard to work over it, but you will one day realize that your journey is far worth it.
Wayne. | http://socalenterprise.com/services.htm
Post a Comment