Determine Leader's Impact
By Richard Brody
If you asked nearly every individual when he first ascends to a position of leadership, he will tell you that he wants to make an important difference and have a real impact. If we assume that these people are telling us the truth (and it is important to understand that what someone says often differs from their actions), why do so few leaders make any type of positive impact on his organization.
Two often forgotten qualities that generally determine whether there will be an impact are the amount of imagination the leader has, combined with how truly committed he actually is. Tony Robbins succinctly put it this way, "The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment." Unfortunately, these two characteristics must be combine in a synergistic manner in order to come up with the desired result.
1. What exactly is leadership imagination? It should not be confused with make - believe or pie - in - the - sky, unformulated ideas and approaches. Rather, when it comes to meaningful leaders, it means observing what has been done in the past, seeing the present in an objective manner, and having a vision for the future. This vision must not simply be full of platitudes and wishful thinking, but rather should be a clear concept of both what needs to be done, and why. This vision must be uplifting and positive, but must include a clear understanding of what action needs to be taken. A true leader also is able to foresee what the ramifications of both taking action and avoiding them, and have a handle on why the presumed risks are worth it, because of both needs and the potential rewards. It often means that a leader must be willing to do things differently, and avoid putting alternatives off the table. Imagination means opening up to the what if's, the could be's, and the why one must!
2. Many individuals ascend to positions of leadership, yet few actually ever become real leaders. It is important to understand the differentiate the difference between the leader who only talks the talk, and the one who is willing to also walk the walk. In my over three decades of working closely with well over a thousand leaders, I have discovered that few demonstrate the required commitment for a sustained period. Many begin on a positive note, but get easily frustrated, and their commitment starts to waver. Beware of anyone in leadership who says that he'll try, or do his best, he hopes, etc.
Commitment begins with a set of beliefs and is combined with taking the necessary actions, on a persistent ongoing basis. Many have imagination but lack the necessary commitment. Some are committed, but their lack of imagination limits their potential and their impact. Only when imagination and commitment are combined will a leader really make a difference!
Richard has owned businesses, been a COO, CEO, and Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has professionally run events, consulted to over a thousand leaders, and conducted personal development seminars, for over 30 years. Rich has written three books and well over a thousand articles.
His company, PLAN2LEAD, LLC has an informative website http://plan2lead.net and Plan2lead can also be followed on Facebook http://facebook.com/Plan2leadArticle Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Brody
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