We are in the middle of a series on leadership. If you missed any of the previous articles, you can see them here: [one | two | three].
Last time we explained that you need to be the kind of person people want to follow. In today’s article we are explaining that you also need to lead people to a place they want to go. Demanding that they follow often incites resistance. They must want to go where you are leading.
The fourth thing you need to know about leadership is to cast a vision of the future and invite people to help you get there.
In his famous speech, JFK provided a beautiful example of this:
“We choose to go to the Moon! We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win.“
Now that’s a compelling vision!
You don’t have to hold a leadership position to cast a vision. You can take leadership and share the vision anywhere. In your marriage, you can share with your spouse how you desire your relationship to look. For example, “I desire our marriage to be filled with fun, laughter, and love, and when there is conflict, I would like to see us treat each other with grace and acceptance, trusting that at the core our intentions for each other are good. If you would like this too, I ask that you help me create this.”
You can use this with your kids. For example, “I would like you to take care of the backyard. The grass will be cut, the weeds removed, and any trash you find is picked up. But more importantly, this is not just a chore. I am hoping you can take pride in this, and experience what it’s like to do an awesome job and show it off. And I will get to brag on you with our friends who come over. Is this something you are willing to take on?”
The vision is what “sells” people on joining you. Otherwise, you’re just telling people, “trust me and follow me,” with nothing else to go on.
Anywhere you want to influence someone, take leadership, share the vision, and invite them to join you in creating it.
