Resenting Reality

A leader I know is a true visionary.

He has the ability to take any idea, and in his mind, immediately scale it 10 or more times.

He reads voraciously, dreams wildly, and has had some remarkable successes. His innate (and intentionally developed) ability to envision a preferred future for himself and his organization is phenomenal.

But there are times, when he can’t live in the future.

There are times, when he has to deal with the frustrations, foibles and frailties of regular people and current realities that get in the way of accomplishing the things he can imagine.

It makes him grumpy; (honestly he seems to resent it).

So what’s a leader to do?

Well, wisely, he hires people to do a lot of the day today stuff. But that doesn’t eliminate the need for him to at least occasionally visit the raw and current reality.

He’s an extreme example, but in many ways a common type.

Visionary, future-oriented leaders are what organizations need when they are in seasons of significant growth or strategic transformations. Founders are often like this, and so are those rare, and sometimes controversial, leaders who have a knack for turning around organizations that are stuck or struggling.

I’d go as far as saying that every leader needs to have some degree of future focus.

But we also need to to have current awareness. As legitimately frustrating as it may to see what things could and should be so clearly and have to wait and work towards it; we can’t get there from here unless we truly understand where we really are right now.

Plotting a course requires that we know not only where we want to get to, but where we are starting from.

Different seasons require varying amounts of interrogating reality and dreaming of an inspiring future. There’s no hard rule. Instead, leaders need to consider both what is needed and their own tendencies to ensure enough attention is going to both timeframes.

And wise leaders are also considering the lasting impact of the past.

Build a rhythm of reports and check ins that will allow you to maintain a future focus that remains rooted in what is true right now. Deliberately give attention to those on your team who are most present in their approach. Tether your imagination to relevant reality and your visionary abilities will inspire others; don’t and everyone, including you, will be dealing with distracting frustrations.

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