One of the most important things that a leader has to remember is that he or she is the engine on a linear path. In other words: your mission, your organization, and your results all rest upon you moving that train further down the track continuously without interruption. If a train wants to get to New York from L.A., it has to keep the cars moving all the way until arrival time. That engine, that force, is you.

Now, here is the problem. Often, leaders are inclined to be creative, big-picture people. Their very strength is that they can see the “whole” at one time. They can conceive it, and they can figure out how to get there. Then they tend to delegate, as they should, the task of implementing that vision to others. So far, so good.

But, successful leaders also inject movement at various intervals to make sure that the train is continuing to move down the track. And, because of their big picture orientation, they usually need some kind of reminder that is outside of them to make sure that is happening in a timely and strategic way.

It is akin to a critical path, but not as detailed. Usually organizations construct a critical path to know when to release resources, what timelines have to be met at each stage of an initiative, etc. But in this instance, it is the critical path, not of the organization, but of the leader himself or herself.

Often, leaders just live with this awareness in their heads, and then get distracted from doing it in real time. It is part of their makeup. To compensate for this and to keep things moving according to the leader’s plans, I suggest an external reminder of the key “engine drivers” that a leader needs to implement in the short term. Psychologists refer to this as an “auxiliary ego”; which means adding a function that you do not possess inside of you by getting it from the outside.

Here would be an example: A three-by-five card that lives on your desk for the month that says something like:

Things I Need To Drive This Month

1. Assemble Financing Relationships For New Venture

2. Get Buy-In From Joint Venture Partners To Final Agreement

3. Bring Department Heads Together To Finalize Next Year’s Reorganization

4. Make Sure Asset Management Group Has Offloaded Low Performing Assets On Schedule As Strategic Plan Requires

These are the kinds of things that have two qualities to them that leaders need to worry about: first, they are vital to success of the mission, and second, they are not urgent!

Yes, you read that right: vital and not urgent. What that means is that without doing them, the mission could die, and also, there is nothing driving them which must be done today, tomorrow, or the next day. They are future- oriented. They are not like the mortgage payment on the building that is urgent, i.e. it has to be done by Monday. These things are strategic and vital, but the only deadline that exists for them is the one that you make happen. Otherwise, these kinds of big agenda items go languishing in the background because no one is driving them home. And the reality is that your people have many things that are urgent, so they do not tend to focus on these without some force to make them urgent. That force is leadership.

So, your job is to attend to the vital things, and do not allow the urgent things to get in the way. To do that, because the urgent ones always are in your face, you might find it helpful to have the external, auxiliary help to keep the vital things in your face as well. This is what the reminding tool is for.

First, figure out each month, or week, what the vital things are for you and get them in the schedule first. Then you can find time for the rest. Second, find a tool like this one, or your software, or a ring in your nose, or something that will get you out of your visionary, leader mind and into a critical path of doing the thing that only you can do - which is to drive the train forward! If you need a coach to help you do that, get one. You might also use an accountability partner, or a peer. Whatever it takes, make sure you do it. The mission depends on you.

God Bless,
Henry

Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.

(Psalm 55:22, NIV)

A one-week
intensive workshop for leaders
with Dr. Henry Cloud
and Dr. John Townsend

 

Upcoming Ultimate Leadership workshop
in San Juan Capistrano, California

May 6 - 11, 2007

What one leader had to say about the Ultimate Leadership workshop experience...

My life has been so blessed since the Ultimate week - blessed in a way that I now have an intimate relationship with God. After I returned from the retreat, I began praying that God would open the eyes of my heart. Yes, He did it in a BIG way. I experienced the blind man phenomenon; I was blind but now I could see. I have always known God but not at an intimate level. I had been going through life doing the right thing and saying the right things that I thought would please God. The main benefit I received from the retreat is reattachment to God – it's a miracle! I have always been thankful (cordially) but now it's the daily WOW.

One very tangible benefit of the workshop is how I've also started to see myself as equal, and not through the lens of a child. I do not feel afraid or inferior around angry people. That's amazing, because I used to freeze up and become extremely compliant in the hope of making peace. Now I am able to speak sensibly and not run emotionally. Another miracle! I pray that I will continue to grow in this area. Currently, I have 2 process groups to help me grow. Please continue to pray for me.

On a very personal note; God has opened doors of opportunity for me to reach out to the downtrodden. Last November, I led a family of three (victims of domestic violence) to Christ. Now, I am investing in their lives by teaching them weekly from the book of Matthew. In the past, I would have sent them to Sunday school or a Small Group in our church. However, this time around, God gave me a burden to follow through by teaching them to know Christ in a deeper way. This has been a life-changing God enlightenment experience for me. For the last eight weeks, I have been so overwhelmed by joy that words cannot explain. Isn't that amazing? I consider this a miracle!

Christina Cheung - Business Owner
San Jose, California

 

 

 

It's innovative, it's interactive-          
         it's our new Solutions Web site!

www.solutionsonvideo.com

Take a moment to click on the link-we think you'll agree that this is a site with a lot to offer. It provides hundreds of video answers to questions on topics that are important to you: love, singleness, marriage, parenting, career, leadership, emotional struggles, and more. You can submit questions, participate in a Blog, build community online, and access endless free resources to help you navigate life. This new site is not a replacement for our Cloud-Townsend Resources Web site; it is a new resource we have added. Let us know what you think of it!

DR. HENRY CLOUD AND DR. JOHN TOWNSEND PRESENT THE ULTIMATE LEADERSHIP SIMULCAST SERIES-VIA SATELLITE!

In their ongoing work with hundreds of leaders, psychologists Drs. Henry Cloud and John Townsend have identified issues and challenges relevant to leaders everywhere. A few years ago, they created Ultimate Leadership, a one-week intensive workshop designed to address these leadership issues. Workshops are held throughout the year in Southern California.

Now, in conjunction with CCN (Church Communication Network), Drs. Cloud and Townsend present a monthly simulcast series that continues and complements the leadership training offered in the Ultimate Leadership workshop. Each one-hour simulcast provides key leadership insights and practices, all solidly based on biblical principles of leadership and character development. Each is designed to help fulfill the desire all leaders share: to become better leaders!

9 Things a Leader Must Do

by Dr. Henry Cloud

 

Here's an excerpt:

I chose these Nine Things for very specific reasons.

First, they are paths or patterns of behavior that really do make a huge difference in the lives and leadership of those who practice them. I consider them uncontainable in their fruitfulness.

Second, avoiding these principles can lead to disastrous consequences, such as loss of dreams, goals, potential, relationships, profits, market share, trust - even faith itself.

Third, these principles are often ignored. I seldom hear them talked about as specific patterns to be observed and diligently applied.

Retail price $12.99 - yours for only $8.00 - save $5.00!
Enter code UL0407 to order - offer expires 4/30/07

Interested in bringing Dr. Cloud or
Dr. Townsend to your organization?
Please call (800) 676-HOPE (4673)
for information about creating an exciting event for your church or group!