I fly a lot for my job. Over the past few years I have certainly noticed a change in airline passenger behavior. It is common now for most of the window shades to be pulled down for the entire flight. It took me awhile to figure this out. The primary reason for this behavior is so busy people can see the screens of their laptops, tablets and phones. I actually think this is sad on several fronts. While air travel has become much less enjoyable since 2001, it is still amazing to see planet earth from 30,000 feet. But you have to look out the window to notice. I also think it is sad because it means busy people never pause. They keep their heads down, focused on a small screen straight in front of them. They don’t notice the person beside them or anything else going on around them. All that matters is what is right in front of them.
Leaders need to look out the “window”. If leaders keep their head down all the time, focused only on what is right in front of them, they will miss the important aspects of their leadership.
Here are 3 reasons leaders need to take the long view:
1. It helps to clarify direction.
When you lift up your eyes as a leader you can see beyond the daily obstacles. You can see the vision horizon. You will begin to remember why you took this role, why it matters that you lead well in your current endeavor, what’s at stake. The problems and distractions right in front of you can take you off course. They can sap your energy for doing what is important by demanding you do what is urgent. You can provide hope for those that follow you, rather than wear them out by daily demands. One of the great obligations of a leader is to give continual direction for those who follow. You must always be able to point them to magnetic north. That is your role. You have to look up on a regular basis to live out your calling.
2. You can see potential instead of simply problems.
Let’s face it. Leaders are the last to get the good news, and are always problem magnets. Potential means something exists in the realm of possibility. It means there is something there that can be tangibly developed. If you only keep your head down you will miss the potential and the probable. Being problem driven produces fear in you and your followers. Keeping your focus on what could be allows for hope. And hope points to potential.
3. It’s refreshing and life-giving.
Every now and then it is good to feel small. You are not the center of the universe. You are not ultimately in control of anything. Power and authority are temporary illusions. When you look at the world from 30,000 feet you realize how insignificant you and your problems really are–and that is good for the soul. To take the long view means you think more about sustainability and legacy–and less about your own image. You focus on others and their well being, because that is the future of the organization. That is life-giving. You can only give yourself away and truly empower others when you ultimately see the desired destination in the distance. That is life-giving.
How does a leader take the long view?
1. Build in “think time” every week.
You can’t truly lead if you do not create space for yourself to think and consider. I usually tell leaders to spend from two hours to half a day each week in reflective thought. This is time for you to see the current demands in light of the vision. This is time to anchor your leadership in your calling and gifting. This is time to remember all of the “why’s” of the mission. What do you want to be true 90 days from now? Six months from now? A year from now? What do you want it look like, feel like, sound like? What is success? This is the long view.
2. Read relevant material every week.
If you are like me you need to be stimulated on a regular basis to think fresh thoughts. If I am not on a steady diet of diverse reading I find that my leadership vision runs dry. I read biographies, strategy books, faith based books, journals, history books–novels. I am not a fast reader–but I persevere because I need to front load my leadership brain. It is amazing how future oriented I can become when I am reading on a regular basis. It is also remarkable how stuck I can become in the daily demands of leading when I am not.
3. Schedule regular conversations with a peer for no reason at all.
It is also good to tap the peer community of leaders around you. Only other leaders leading at your level or beyond will fully understand the challenges you are facing. All too often leaders are isolated and left to figure our their leadership lives on their own. We have to choose to seek out leadership community and allow others to feed our endurance. Leadership is too hard to go it alone. We will certainly get caught “looking down” if we lead in isolation. We were made to live and lead in healthy dependence. Shoulder to shoulder is a strong leadership posture.
Next time you fly put up the tablet and close the laptop and stare out the window. Someone will complain but they will get over it. You need the view! And so do they!
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