APPLIED LEADERSHIP: Lessons for 21st Century powersports leaders
EVER BEEN BEHIND a driver who’s lost? They make sudden stops, they slow down to look at every street name, and they turn on their turn signal at every intersection in the hope that they’ve finally found their way.
I often see the same characteristics in business owners. They pull their organizations through turmoil, speeding up, slowing down, chasing opportunities, changing strategies. It’s a “jerky” style of leadership that wreaks havoc on organizations, and it’s due to two key factors: lack of vision and lack of discipline.
Lack of vision
Vision is a common topic when it comes to leadership. It’s also one of the aspects of leadership I have struggled with the most. Case in point: I recently took command of an armor battalion in the Ohio Army National Guard. It is a great battalion with a long, prestigious history and a reputation for excellence. I was honored and intimidated, because I had to provide a vision for the future of this battalion.
The battalion had just completed a hard mission and performed well doing so. I didn’t know how I would be able to come in and provide a vision for its future, and I knew that no one was going to provide that vision for me: it was my responsibility.
The battalion needed something in the future they could view as their 'next mission' — something that would snap them out of their hindsight.
I decided to fall back on a proven leadership skill: I listened to my soldiers, especially those who were leaders in the battalion. I quickly learned that they were stuck in the past. They were proud of what they had accomplished and wanted to hang on to that sense of accomplishment (the “good ole days”) as long as possible. I didn’t need to create a grand vision. The battalion just needed something in the future that they could view as their “next mission” – something that would snap them out of their hindsight, and reorient them on the future and where the organization needed to go. I, along with the battalion leaders, were able to describe what the battalion would and should look like five years down the road.
The next step: I had to break down that five-year goal into smaller, more easily obtainable objectives. These allowed us to outline a plan to achieve the end state. We used this new plan to identify obstacles we would face along the way. Identifying these obstacles allowed us identify the resources we would need to help us be successful.
We now have a vision. We have a clear end state of where we want to go, we have a plan how to get there and we know what we will need along the way. We call this the Ends, Ways, and Means. We will now execute our plan with discipline so that we maintain the course we’ve laid out.
Now, I have to ask: Have you created a vision for your organization, or are you lost?
Think about the last time you rode your motorcycle or drove your car in the fog. You slowed down, right? That’s because you couldn’t clearly see what was in front of you. And that’s what your organization faces if you haven’t laid out a vision for them to follow. Your organization is lost, cautiously trying to figure out where it needs to go.
Creating a vision can be intimidating. Indeed, some leaders have never even been taught how to create a vision. But creating a vision is one of your primary responsibilities as a leader. I encourage anyone struggling with this to stop avoiding the topic. Get started, or ask for help. I bet you have some smart people who can help you describe where your organization needs to go. And if you are not sure who to talk to, send me a note; I would be glad to help you work through creating a vision of your own.
CALL TO ACTION: HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT!
What is your vision? Do you have a clear vision of where your organization needs to go? If your answer is ‘No’ or you think your vision needs some work; start by asking yourself what success would look like for your organization. Here are some questions to get you started:
Where has my business been?
What would my ideal business look like and why does it exist (don’t be afraid to dream big)?
How could that ideal business be broken down into specific, key parts?
What does my business look like today?
What is different between my current operation and my ideal one?
What steps (objectives) do I need to take to reach my ideal?
What obstacles are in my way?
What knowledge, skills and abilities do we need to learn or develop?
Need more help? Contact me at buchanan@positiveleadershipsolutions.com
ABOUT CHARLES BUCHANAN
Charles J. Buchanan is principal owner of Positive Leadership Solutions LLC in Columbus, OH, and is a senior lecturer with Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business. Buchanan served 15 years in the military, where he was deployed three times, to Afghanistan, Iraq and Kosovo. He completed the U.S. Army’s Ranger School, Command and General Staff College, and other courses. He continues to serve with the Ohio Army National Guard.
Positive Leadership Solutions (www.positiveleadershipsolutions.com) provides leadership, teamwork and business management training. Contact Buchanan directly at buchanan@positiveleadershipsolutions.com, or via Dealernews at editors@dealernews.com.