One thing that must always be on your mind to be a
true leader is having thoughts about the future. What do you plan to achieve?
What are your goals? Are they specific? The leader in you must always plan ahead
and focus on the significance of the future.
The
leader who refuses to think about the future soon will not have to worry about
the responsibility of leadership! Thinking about the future is necessary for any
leader for at least three reasons:
1) Thinking about the future gives
the leader focus.
The future helps a leader determine
what he/she should do and what he/she should not do! Determining one's
actions by the demands of the day is a sure path to a hectic daily schedule.
Leaders should look beyond the busyness of the day into the realm of
tomorrow.
2) Thinking about the future allows
for a proactive response.
While leaders cannot predict the
future, they can go a long way in creating the future. Leaders don't
await the future; they create the future.
3) Leaders think about the future
because vision resides in the future.
If leadership is defined by
influence it is determined by vision. Leaders know that the primary action
of a leader is to cast vision. A person who sets direction by only looking
to the past is a great historian but a poor leader. Leaders create the
future by casting a compelling vision that both aligns with and directs the
future.
Smart leaders understand the
significance of the future and take the lead in planning for the future.
Leadership and the future are intimately tied together. Leaders should think
about the future, because they know that one of the major realms of leadership
is the realm of the future.
THINKING FUTURISTICALLY
Anticipate the future with a positive attitude. Many
leaders have an unhealthy dread of the future - perhaps even a fear of the
future. Leaders that thrive in the years to come will be those that are
self-confident enough to realize that no matter what the future holds they will
overcome and triumph. Such confidence is not false hope but rather it is the
product of proper planning and the development of essential tools that
guarantees a hopeful future.
FUTURE
SHIFTS
SHIFT #1
From Problem Solving to Problem Predicting
The
majority of leadership is problem solving. Problem solving will continue to be
an important task for leaders but a shift is necessary. You must move from
problem solving to problem predicting. Trained futurist call problem predicting
"Non-Linear Extrapolation." Non-Linear Extrapolation means that you don't just
look at the direct results of an action, but that you examine the indirect and
unintended consequences of an action.
SHIFT #2
From Specific Planning to Scenario Planning
Most successful leaders
are already good planners -- they have to be! The future calls us to go one step
beyond specific day-to-day planning, as a leader you must move into monthly to
even yearly scenario planning. Scenario planning allows leaders to deal with the
rapid rate of change occurring in our society by giving them handles for
understanding what might happen.
SHIFT #3
From Solitary Mind to Master Mind
Information is increasing at an alarming rate. To adjust
to the overwhelming attack which information may have, leaders need more than
their solitary mind - they need a Master Mind. Basically a Master Mind is a
collection of multiple people, with different expertise, who come together to
focus on one particular problem. With a Master Mind, the leader doesn't need to
know it all, because he has relationships with experts who do! Collective wisdom
is better than a collection of wisdom.
FUTURE
CHALLENGE
Leaders understand the significance of the future and take the lead in planning
for the future. Thinking about the future and making these three shifts in your
work habits is an initial step to guaranteeing that the future that will take
place is the future you desire.
