Implementation

Vision, measurable goals and strategies to actualize it, are some of the stuff of leadership.
-All levels of leadership.

We spend many hours imagining a preferable future for our organizations and our personal lives. Some times we spend even more time and energy to shape those pictures into the sweeping eloquent words of a vision statement. It takes time, energy and money to get something inspiring written on the wall. Be that the wall of your company foyer, the office, or the wall of your imagination.  The question is, is what is written on the wall happening down the hall?

The same question applies to the big multi million corporation, the small to medium enterprise, our families and households, as well as our personal and private lives.Whether you are dreaming of corporate success or personal fitness and health. Whether  you are trying to save money for a holiday trip, or planning another take over:

A Strategy is only as good as it's implementation.

You may have wonderful measurable goals, all worked out and lined up. They might even have time lines -as any respectable goal should have. But nothing will happen without strategies: -Those things that needs to happen or be done, so that the set goals can be met, by when they should be met and the whole dream can start to fall into place........!  Having said all that: The best strategies or plans, will still accomplish nothing on their own: They need to be implemented.

Sometimes we have wonderful dreams, lofty ideas and great plans about things that we want to accomplish, but many times we don't really dó anything to make it happen.  Many of us procrastinate -only to chastise ourselves later.

I have observed that many times the simplest most elementary plans, have spectacular far reaching results -simply because someone took responsibility to see that it actually gets done!

ARROGANCE

Make a small cross with a black pen on a white A4 size sheet of  paper. Now make a small circle about 4 cm to the right of  the cross. Take the paper in your right hand and keep it at some distance in front of your face. Close and cover your left eye and with your right eye focus only on the cross that you have drawn. Slowly move the piece of paper closer to your face, until the black circle disappears. (That should be at about 10-15cm from your nose.)  -If you have actually done this, you have just experienced what is called a blind spot! Just like this physical one, we all have some blind spots when it comes to our character and behaviour in general. Yes: There are things about ourselves that we don't know, we don't know!

Hopefully we will allow people who love us and care for us, to tell us about those things.......

Arrogance seems to fall into the blind spot area of some leaders. Everybody else knows and talks about it, but they keep on behaving with an ignorant overbearing sense of self importance! Feeling unduly confidant and superior to other people. You are arrogant when you have a high opinion of your own position, importance and abilities.

It is noteworthy that most great leaders of the past and present are everything but arrogant! They usually have one thing in common: They are servant leaders. People who are blessed with various abilities, that they apply for the greater good.

These men and women are normally conscious of the practical difference between function and position; between egoism and selflessness; between legacy and lunacy -and between (self) importance and making a real difference.

We do not have to remind others of our titles. -It is not so much about your title, but about who you are as a person and about what you do in practice! We should not carry on talking about the importance of our positions. -We should rather keep reminding ourselves about our responsibilities and function and keep on thinking about the legacy that we would like to leave behind. Someday that is what we all will certainly do: Leave everything behind.  Then as surely as you read this, someone else will take your place -and all that will outlive you, is your legacy!

Ask some of your friends and colleagues if they think that you are arrogant. -If you flinch at the idea of doing that: You already know what the answer is!

Passion

It's invigorating to observe passion! There is something contagiously inspiring and energizing about seeing and hearing someone talking and working with positive and healthy passion. Passion attracts people. It touches our hearts and intrigues our minds.

Passion is the fuel of success! Many times the only difference between success and failure, is passionate perseverance. Passion makes up for a lot of leadership shortcomings.

You do not get hold of passion: Passion gets hold of you! Passion is a strong deeply felt enthusiasm. It is a fervent love or interest in something or someone. It can lead you to give your life to something -sometimes literally!  It is the urge to keep on thinking and talking about something. -in spite of  the frustration and boredom of others!

Passion can't be faked (Not for long anyhow).  It comes from the heart!  It comes from a place of integrity  and meaning.  People around you knows that you have it, even before you do. Passion gives physical, emotional and spiritual energy to everything you do.

You can feed a particular passion and make it grow stronger -by spending more time thinking, reading, studying  or researching about it. Circumstances and doubting or negative people can attempt (and sometimes succeed) to kill passion in you life. The good news is that passion can be revived!

Get clarity about the passion/s in your life. Make sure that you focus on the ones that can make a positive difference to your life and the lives of others. Spend a significant part of your time advancing that passion/s.-Doing so will ensure that you live and work from your passion/s and strengths. It will make a world of difference in how you live your life: It will make you come and stay ALIVE!

Feeding and keeping your passion/s alive and growing is your own responsibility and not that of anyone else!