T HE L EADERSHIP C HALLENGE : B Y : N AZELA N ASRUDEEN I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION

W HAT DOES IT MEAN TO INSPIRE A SHARED VISION ?

I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION According to Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge We all have dreams and aspirations We all think about the future We all want tomorrow to be better than today As a leader, you have to make sure that what you envision is what others envision as well.

I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION  From Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge “Leaders passionately believe that they can make a difference. They envision the future, creating an ideal and unique image of what the organization can become. Through their magnetism and quiet persuasion, leaders enlist others in their dreams. They breathe life into their visions and get people to see exciting possibilities for the future.”

The area in which leaders have the poorest performance is inspiring a shared vision. Of the five practices, consistently over time, that’s been the most difficult for leaders to master—despite all the emphasis on how important it is for leaders to have and convey a vision. I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION

 There are 2 essentials that must be mastered in order for a leader to develop the capacity to envision the future for themselves and for others: 1. Imagine the possibilities 2. Find a common purpose

I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION : I MAGINE THE P OSSIBILITIES According to professor of Psychology at Harvard University, Daniel Gilbert, “The greatest achievement of the human brain is its ability to imagine objects and episodes that do not exist in the realm of the real, and it is this ability that allows us to think about the future….” Clarifying your vision, is a process of self exploration and self creation. There is often no logic involved. Its simply a reflection of ones fundamental belief; it’s the message one wishes to convey so that when its ever repeated, all will be reminded of the entire message set forth.

I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION : I MAGINE THE P OSSIBILITIES How do leaders discover a vision? Leaders need to be multi-faceted in terms of their insight…

I MAGINE THE P OSSIBILITIES : R EFLECT O N Y OUR P AST Reflecting on our past enables us to see further into our future - Janus Effect: “One-Way-Mirror-Hypothesis” I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION Search your past to find the reoccurring theme in your life. Gaining appreciation for how long it will take to fulfill aspirations

I MAGINE THE P OSSIBILITIES : A TTEND T O T HE P RESENT I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION We need to be able to see the bigger picture. In order to envision the future as leaders we must pay attention to the little things that are going on all around us & be able to recognize patterns that point to the future.

I MAGINE THE P OSSIBILITIES : P ROSPECT T HE F UTURE I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION Leaders need to always be aware: - Read - Think - Talk Envision an uplifting and ennobling future. I MAGINE THE P OSSIBILITIES : F EEL Y OUR P ASSION Passion vs. Attention -Individuals will not recognize the possibilities if they don’t feel the passion. - What we envision for our future is really expressing our passion. o Time o Sacrifice What is my burning passion???

I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION : F IND A C OMMON P URPOSE W E CANNOT MOBILIZE PEOPLE TO WILLINGLY TRAVEL TO A PLACE THEY DON ’ T WANT TO GO. Finding a common purpose begins with the leader. A leader cannot impose their vision of the future on others. Instead, he/she must listen to the aspirations of others. An inspiring vision should provide individuals with a sense of meaning, pride, and of being part of something that is worthwhile and exciting.

F IND A C OMMON P URPOSE : L ISTEN D EEPLY T O O THERS I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION “Enlisting subordinates and other colleagues in defining the vision for the team pays off because the ideas that form the vision will be familiar to them and as a result it will be easier to get the buy-in that is essential for translating a single person’s view to the rest of the team.” The best leaders are GREAT listeners! As leaders, you must be sensitive. You must be receptive to others and have a willingness to listen.

F IND A C OMMON P URPOSE : M AKE I T A C AUSE F OR C OMMITMENT I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION People commit to causes, not to plans: Volunteers who help rebuild nations destroyed by tsunamis Bikers who ride from state to state to raise money to fight AIDS Rescue workers who help people lost in rubble after an earthquake Runners who jog for miles to raise money for Breast Cancer Transformational Leadership: “Occurs when, in their interactions, people raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality. Their purpose which may have started out as separate but related becomes moral in that it raises the level of human conduct and ethical aspiration of both the leader and the led, and thus it has a transforming effect on both.” “Inspiring a shared vision is the most efficient way to produce outstanding results.”

F IND A C OMMON P URPOSE : B E F ORWARD -L OOKING IN T IMES OF R APID C HANGE I NSPIRE A S HARED V ISION According to Kouzes & Posner, The Leadership Challenge “To become a leader you must be able to envision the future. The speed of change does not alter this fundamental truth about leadership. People only want to follow those who can see beyond today’s problems and visualize a brighter tomorrow.”  Read cutting-edge magazines outside your industry  Read articles and books by futurists  Identify themes in the news, talk shows, movies, blogs, social media  Watch trends in the bestseller lists of books, videos, games  Ask your team what trends they think the future holds  Watch trends in industry magazines