It's Tuesday at 2:00pm! (PST Time: I live and work from Southern California)
Currently, I'm exploring different leadership quotes on this blog post, and pulling out some application for all of us. This is part of my personal journey to keep growing, learning and being stretched! Join me each Tuesday at 2:00pm (PST). It will take you just a few minutes to read through the 2 sections of this post, but don't miss the final section where I share some of the things I'm reading, listening to and enjoying this week.
Russ
LEADERSHIP QUOTE:
"I"The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision" Helen Keller
What does this stir up? Either write me HERE or comment at the end of the blog post HERE.
A LITTLE BIT DEEPER:
Last week I shared a Steve Jobs quote on VISION and the power of vision, and I received some interesting notes about the importance of always working to SEE where we're going and to anticipate what is coming.
I read this quote from Hellen Keller, and was reminded of how easy it is to get busy focusing on TODAY and forget to think about TOMORROW.
We're busy, there's pressure, there's a never-ending to-do-list, and in some cases, we're just trying to survive.
Hellen Keller was blind, but she didn't let that keep her from great accomplishments. She was not only blind, but she was deaf as well. READ THIS LIST of her accomplishments and then tell me why you're not able to do something?
The challenge of every leader is to not only focus on what you're doing today, but to determine where you're heading, to define your vision for tomorrow.
I asked this question last week, but I'll ask again: Where are you heading? Personally? Work? Community? Family? Take some time to envision what that vision looks like.
DEEPER STILL:
When I do a LifePlan or a StratOp (A LifePlan is a strategic plan for a person; a StratOp is a strategic plan for an organization) I always ask this question:
"Where do you want to be in 10 years? What does it look like?"
A vision is simply painting a picture of where you want to be in 10 years.
Here's an example of one of my vision statements from a number of years ago in relationship to my kids... thinking about 10 years from now:
"I am enjoying a close and frequent relationship with each of my kids and their families, and we seek new ways to spend time together, to continue to develop our relationship and we enjoy being family"
This is a dream I have, and I'm currently experiencing it. In this statement there are action steps, there are hopes, there is effort, there are measurable outcomes. This is what I envision and I will work towards this with everything I've got.
What do you envision for your future? Define it and then begin moving towards it.
Things I'm Reading, Listening To and Watching This Week:
I was just gifted this incredible book, The 5 Graces of Life and Leadership. It looks like a nice coffee table book, but it's loaded with depth, beautiful pictures and leadership truth from Gary Burnison & Korn Ferry.
I'm listening AGAIN this week to Eric Clapton Essentials from Apple.
Gina and I are attending a leadership conference this week from CONVENE. Convene builds peer-advisory teams around the world.
I've shared that one of my "go-to" podcasts is NPR's How I Built This with Guy Raz. I just listened to the story of Raising Cane's, and while I haven't eaten there yet, his story of start-up to success is inspiring!
I read a couple of great fiction books on a short vacation Gina and I had a couple of weeks ago. John Grishams "The Judge's List" and Vince Flynns "Enemy at the Gates". Both entertaining and perfect for a long stretch of reading on the beach!