The team – whether a formal one, a sporting one, or a hodge-podge of people that need to be convinced of a particular idea – will not follow without trust. If leadership is really about influence (and, by the way, leadership is about influence) that influence can only come from someone who trusts in your judgement and in your character.
Character is important, because good business judgment is not enough. Great decisions don’t exist in a vaccuum, and gaining agreement means showing your character.
When times are tough, people want to know who you are. And not in a press release or bio page. Despite the amount of social media outlets available today, actions speak louder than words. And they always will.
So what are the actions you can take to foster trust and inspire action? What connections can you make for your team, and establish yourself as a leader? Consider carefully these four words, as a central part of your message. Whatever the subject at hand, when you discuss your vision, you must convey the following:
While no one can accurately predict every aspect of the future, a leader has to have a vision that is clear, concise, and believable. In other words: a trusted vision of the future.
If you aspire to inspire, and create new outcomes with, through and for others, you’ve got to be able to articulate a 360-degree view of the situation.
Your ability to describe the forest and the trees is the foundation of trust. No one expects a leader to have ESP or a crystal ball, but part of having a vision is being able to see things that others don’t. Then, once you see a new direction, you’ve got to convince others how to get engaged. ”I’ve thought this through” is the mantra of leadership at any level. Your ability to see a situation in terms that others can trust is the first step in moving your team forward.
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By thinking a something through you are ahead of the herd ;) Few really think...fewer think persistently. The few who think through an intelligent campaign in any endeavor become super attractive to people who crave leadership. Thanks for sharing the thought-provoking post Chris!
@RyanKBiddulph Thanks Ryan! In my experience, the ability to effectively communicate your vision is all about being intelligent about the "big picture". Glad you liked the post.
I love that you "Aspire to Inspire" - my favorite line. Nice post...now back to you McDuff
