Leaders who have a futurist mindset are a minority on most teams.According
How to Avoid Leaders who Lack Vision
Why Vision Matters
A leader’s vision gives you hope for the future, a sense of purpose for the work that you do, and it creates energy and momentum for positive change.Why a Good Vision is Hard to Find
The trouble is, most leaders lack vision. And leaders who have a vision often struggle to communicate it in a compelling manner.
I’ve trained hundreds of leaders on “vision-casting“ (i.e., how to create and communicate vision), and it is one of the most difficult exercises to teach a leader. Here’s why:
1. Only 1 in 5 leaders is truly future-focused. Leaders who have vision and are true futurists are the minority mindset in most organizations. That means 80% of leaders have to dig deep or rely on a support system to create and communicate a compelling vision.
2. Leaders tend to achieve success by following the rules, rather than breaking the rules. Corporate life is all about consensus. Leaders hire and promote other leaders who think and behave like they do. This is a “likeness” bias in talent selection.
3. Culture kills vision. Given that only 20% of organizations are made up of future-focused leaders, organizational culture tends to squash ideas that don’t fit the mold or the “way things are around here.”
4. Visions are risky. Leaders may have a vision, but be reluctant to share that vision for fear of being criticized or being perceived negatively. And finally,
5. Communicating a vision in a compelling manner is difficult. Leaders often lack the ability to be aspirational and inspirational. A vision must also be realistic and within the realm of possibility. A powerful vision-casting message must contain passion and energy, but be balanced with logic and a practical edge.
Five Ways to Avoid Leaders Who Lack Vision
1. Look for the outliers. Who are the leaders and teams who are on the margins? What are the start-up projects that have a small team of innovators and futurists doing cool work? Chances are there’s a leader with a powerful vision in that group or sponsoring that group. Find them.
2. Focus on the future. Look for leaders who don’t just talk about what is or what was, but who talk about what’s possible.
3. Ask and listen. Whether you’re interviewing or exploring a new partnership, ask those in influential positions what their vision around X,Y, or Z might be. Questions that sound like this are powerful: How might we...? What do you see the future of our team or industry looking like?
4. Risky business. One characteristic of future-focused leaders is their healthy risk appetite. Avoid leaders who are too risk averse. Look for leaders who are willing to place bets on the future and who don’t just talk the talk, but who walk the walk.
5. Be a visionary leader. Create your own compelling vision of what’s possible for your project, team, or your business. Practice casting that vision and painting a compelling picture of what could be. Don’t be afraid to start with a small vision and work your way up to more compelling audacious visions!
Discover your Future Focus Mindset and how you can use it to become a more visionary leader on my home page. And check out this article on unlocking the power of your team‘s mindset for the future here.
Winning with the Minority Mindsets on Your Team
Why Anxiety is Crushing Your Team’s Future-Readiness
Anxiety and uncertainty are crushing your team's readiness for the future. HR
Four Ways to Think About the Future
Do you ever think about the way that you're thinking about the
The One Thing High-Performers Want Most…And How to Give it to Them
High-performers want one simple thing: Better results. How can this be? They're already
Five Dysfunctional Mindsets that Future-Ready Leaders Avoid
All mindsets have an upside and a downside. My research has identified
Leading Impactful Meetings During Coronavirus Travel Restrictions
Companies around the world are invoking travel restrictions due to the Coronavirus.