Most companies have a vision statement. Why don’t leaders? A lack of imagination can hinder the ability to lead and prevent a company from seizing opportunities to thrive.
Many leaders get into the habit of being an ‘idea person,’ only to be stymied in realizing they don’t have the solution to every problem.
Even in cases when leaders have a specific vision and a plan to carry it out, it can fail due to poor communication, not aligning with business or industry interests, or not being fully thought out.
Stellar ideas can always be improved upon through collaboration, as trusted managers and the rank and file may have valuable input.
Wendy McManus, owner and lead consultant for the firm Connect2Potential, stressed the importance of recognizing such ‘vision’ problems.
“For each of us, there are things we don’t see in the same way that others do,” she says.
“Everyone needs a coach, mentor, leader, or confidante who will give them honest feedback about what they’re doing well and what they’re not doing well.
“Without this source for clear and direct feedback,” she adds, “leaders will continue to repeat the same mistakes and wonder why they get the same results.”
McManus recommends seeking out new ideas and honest feedback from trusted team members who can be counted on to tell the truth and listening to those ideas with an open mind.
This is an excerpt from a feature in the September/October 2021 issue of Produce Blueprints Magazine. Click here to read the whole issue.
