Look Toward the Future

“The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” -Theodore M. Hesburgh

Look at your business and your role in it. Are you spending time thinking about the future? Are you researching what’s going on in your industry? Are you staying up to date with what’s going on from a people standpoint? Are you aware of impactful technologies that are on the horizon?

Successful leaders understand that one of the most critical pieces of the job (the most critical piece) is preparing for the future. Don’t use the “I’m too busy” excuse. You have the same amount of time in a day as other busy leaders, and the best of them are thinking about the future.

While you’re thinking – think optimistically. Successful leaders believe that they can positively impact the future. That belief drives behaviors that drive positive results.

Ask yourself: What do I believe about my business? What do I believe about my future? What do I think is possible?

Clearly communicate your goals and vision and the rest of the group will believe it too. They may not all buy-in right away – but eventually, most people will recognize that positive things are happening and they’ll want to be part of it.

“If only I had known.”

That’s one of the saddest phrases in the English language. It’s not just sad because it’s usually said after something bad happens. It’s sad because quite often we could have known if we would have just stopped to think about it ahead of time. Regularly take time to think about WHERE you want your business to be. And believe it’s possible.