Thursday December 15, 2011 #377
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather up the wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Today’s thought is about leading with a compelling vision. Too often, leaders focus on managing operational details which has the opposite impact of their intentions. They think that by managing the details, they will ensure predictable excellence. While this may hold true in the short term, it fails in the long term. Your followers are ready to use their skills and intellect to accomplish great things. They were hired for their unique talents and skills in execution. You were hired to inspire them to bring all of themselves to work each day. Do this by creating a compelling and hopeful vision of the future and the purpose of their work, including operational excellence. If you have hired well for the talent needed to execute, you will find that operational excellence will occur naturally without your micro-management. You, however, are completely responsible for supplying the vision and purpose. Are you doing your job?