5 Reasons Why Vision And Leadership Must Coexist
If You Are Seeking To Lead, Then Vision And Leadership Need To Be Interdependent
Much things in life are interdependent of each other. We need to breathe to live, we need to eat to fuel our bodies, we need to work to make an income, peanut butter and jelly are a married combination. Vision and leadership must always be interdependent, like a well orchestrated symphony. A leader needs to have vision and a tactical plan on how to reach that vision. A vision needs a leader to allow the vision to become reality. Vision and leadership are a mandate for all of us to hold strong and true. In this post I am going to give 5 key reasons why vision and leadership need to by in unison and why the must coexist and not be in isolation. I also pose a few questions for you to consider in terms of vision and leadership that are worth the time to answer, so keep on reading…
The 5 Reasons Why Vision And Leadership Must Coexist
#1 – Vision and leadership must coexist because if a leader does not have a vision then essentially they will be running in circles. Dr. Deming is quoted as saying ” a system without an aim is not a system.” What this means is without an aim or vision, a leader cannot create a strategy or system to help achieve that vision. Think of multiple arrows going in multiple different directions. This describes in Deming’s words a system with no aim. Now think of multiple arrows all pointing in one direction in unison. This is a system with an aim, or a leader with a vision. Vision and leadership must coexist so that resources and strategy point in one direction.
#2 – Vision and leadership start and stop with you. It does not matter if you are a leader of yourself or many, in order to lead effectively you need a vision, and in order to achieve a vision you need leadership. If you choose to have no vision or choose to have a vision without leadership you will not achieve your vision and purpose. It takes effort to keep vision and leadership in line with each other. Often leaders are great at leading but lack vision or vice versa.
#3 – Vision and leadership together bring both clarity and purpose for those that you lead or are involved with you reaching your vision. Clarity and purpose are two key components for anyone, especially a leader. Without a purpose there is no vision and without clarity you have multiple arrows going in multiple directions which will quickly dissolve your leadership credibility.
#4 – Both vision and leadership will challenge and stretch you. They can both do so in isolation, but they will stretch you far greater if they are in tandem. Vision and leadership are two things that take a focused effort to achieve on a daily basis. You may fully reach your vision at one point, but you can always keep learning and growing in how to be a better leader. You can also seek to keep your vision and live and make sure that it thrives once you reach it.
#5 – Vision and leadership are downright fun if you let them be. They both require work, they both require your strengths and abilities, they both should tap in to your intrinsic motivators, they both are a journey, and they both can have a lasting impact on those that are impacted by it.
[ A good quick video with Jack Welch about vision and leadership]
Questions To Ponder
- How are you leveraging vision and leadership today?
- Do you have a vision without leadership, or leadership without a vision?
- What is your purpose / vision and how to you plan to achieve it? (The arrows aligning in one direction)
- What leaders can you think of that had a strong vision backed by strong leadership?
- In what ways can you make sure your vision and leadership stay interdependent of each other?
Final Thoughts On Vision And Leadership
As you progress in in life your vision and leadership more than likely will change. Once you have solidified you vision whatever it may be your leadership abilities and strengths will help you achieve that vision if you put in the time and effort to do so. For me personally I started to develop my leadership qualities early on without having a solidified vision, thus I was spinning in circles a bit. Now that I have a clear vision backed with an ongoing thirst to achieve that vision through leadership my journey has taken me to some high points and low points but all in the direction achieving my vision. Let vision and leadership work in your favor by keeping them in balance, not in isolation.
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It seems as though it would be challenging to be a leader without a vision in the first place. Why lead if there is no goal? However, it is interesting that having a big or bold vision does not necessarily make you a leader. In fact, the opposite may also be true. But to see your God-given vision come to pass, you must assemble the team, cast the vision and then lead them to accomplish it.
Good post!
Good comment Matt. I fully agree with you in that vision and leadership must coexist and work in tandem. Casting the vision, assembling a strong team, and leading them to get there are all vital parts to achieve the vision or purpose.
James