“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.”
– Japanese Proverb
Leaders inspire with a vision, then set goals with their team that take them there, step by step. On this page, look for posts that show you how to develop a vision that excites, how to set goals with teeth, and how to build a framework around both that keeps you moving forward, even when the going gets tough.
What is visionary leadership? In 1921, an explorer and naturalist named William Beebe was trekking through the jungle in Guyana. He came across a large colony of ants marching along a path that they had made. Curious, he followed the little ant highway to see where they were going. After …
If there is a gap between where we are and where we want to go, often the way across is to construct a bridge. But if you ignore the environment the bridge is built in, you risk spectacular collapse, as the engineers of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge learned in 1940. …
Bridging the Gap to Your Goals: Building a Span That Lasts Read More »
“How can you prepare to succeed in the midst of chaos?” Much has been written about the big strategic decisions before the massive D-Day invasion of World War II. What sometimes gets missed are the thousands of little, tactical decisions made on the ground afterwards. And lots of those decisions …
Winning at Chaos: How to Succeed When it All Falls Apart Read More »
What happens when you set a goal and fail to achieve it? In January of this year I set a personal goal. Made it public on this web site. Tweeted about it almost daily. Posted weekly updates on Facebook. I worked at it just about every day – hours of …
Starting something is fun. It’s exciting. Everything is new, the possibilities seem limitless. Potential is everywhere. It takes only a moment to make a promise or set a goal. Delivering is harder. It takes effort. The excitement fades. Everything seems to take longer than it should. Distractions arise. Frustration sets …
Last week we talked about the importance of seeking to understand your leadership environment before you start trying to lead. And if you were taking good notes and paying attention to the people you talked with, you should have a pretty good idea of the direction you want to take your team. …
How to Communicate the Vision: Striking the Right Chord Read More »
If you have big ideas, great. If you have turned them into goals, super. But if you want to make them become real, the question is: What’s your accountability plan? Today we’ll talk about accountability and how you can turn it into a powerful tool to help make that goal …
How You Can Use Accountability to Achieve Your Goals Read More »
Bunker Hill by Nathaniel Philbrick was a thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish. If you like historical non-fiction that reads like a novel, this is a great one to add to your library. Aside from telling the fascinating story of the events leading up to the American Revolution, there …
Book Notes: Bunker Hill – Right Vision, Wrong Goal Read More »
Leading yourself is part of being able to lead others. When you show you are capable of reaching your goals, you demonstrate the potential to help others do the same. In this short video we look at the similarities between mountain climbing and reaching your goals, and motivate you with …
Where does commitment come from, and how can I get some? Beginnings are fun – there is excitement, optimism, the promise of something new. Successful endings are great, too, as you watch your idea bear fruit. The tough part comes in the middle. It’s the part that involves effort, and …
Any goal worth taking on is going to require effort, and somewhere along the way you are guaranteed to find your path getting hard. When the going gets tough, you might ask yourself, “How do I keep from quitting?” Yesterday I had the privilege of spending the morning walking with …
How Not to Quit: 8 Tips to Help You Persevere and Succeed at Anything Read More »
Sometimes after the excitement of a new beginning, things happen that make reaching your goals seem harder than you imagined. On a recent trip to Acadia National Park in Maine with my family, we were reminded of what that experience can be like, and what it takes to keep going. …
Reaching Your Goals: 10 Ways to Help You Climb to the Top Read More »