What’s More Important Than an Inspiring Vision? (Part 2)
Read Part 1 of What's More important Than an Inspiring Vision
“Get proximate to people who are suffering.” Bryan Stephenson.
In the Christmas carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” one line has always spoken to me. Reflecting on the birth of the Savior, carolist Phillips Brooks wrote, “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.” The hopes. The fears.
Not the dreams. Not the vision. Not the stirring speech that motivates, but the hopes and fears. The places of pain and need.
But so many leaders are so busy trying to inspire others that we miss what truly makes a difference.
I learned this lesson the hard way right after I had finished “casting a vision” for organizational change. You see, like most leaders, my primary skill set is communication. And by that, I have always meant talking. I am pretty good at using my words to “paint a picture” of what could be and then stirring up people to move to fulfill that picture.
And I am not alone in that regard. Indeed, because the capacity to speak well in front of others is both a rare skill and a fear many people have, anyone who can confidently and articulately communicate an idea, a project, a plan, or any way forward often becomes the leader.
But right after I finished up a presentation to a group of Silicon Valley leaders painting the picture of a visiona brand new initiative that I was leading, the most senior person in the room thanked me for the presentation and then asked:
“Can you tell us what pain point in the world or the church your new project would be trying to address?”
I still feel sheepish looking back on it now. I had just painted a picture that was all about my institution's survival. I had cast a vision that was all about us. But these Silicon Valley leaders were reminding me that “visionary” leadership must actually be focused on something that is beyond the success or even survival of any institution.
It must be focused on the needs of real people in the real world. More important than a vision are the values that we hold. And more important than a picture of success is a focus on the pain points of real people and meeting real needs.
Next month I’ll come back with the third part of this little email series, but this advent and Christmas season, make part of your leadership goal to get proximate to the hopes and fears of the people around you and see what that inspires in you.
If you are interested in learning more about the adaptive coaching and consulting process of AE Sloan Leadership for leading change, just contact Ali at admin@aesloanleadership.com for information and a free consultation.
