Great Leaders See and Shape the Future

Leaders see and shape the future. As a leader you must always be anticipating the next step and next plan to grow your team. We  naturally try to avoid change when possible so you’re going to work extra hard to try to shape your organizations future. It’s only when we’re anticipating the next move that we can better serve those around you.

Seeing the future is anticipating what changes are going to happen. Is someone on your team not happy? Are they going to leave? What changes are going to happen over the next week? The next month? The next year?

We can’t stop at just seeing the future.  We must to act to shape the future for our organization. As a leader you must stop “putting out fires” daily and start focusing on the bigger issues for your team or company. When you’re focusing on the future and anticipating the needs, you will not be focusing on silly short-term problems. Your team should be able to solve problems without you.

At Chick-fil-A it is VERY easy to come to work, only focus on your shift that day and making it through your shift. Doing that does not develop a long-term vision that I need as a leader to grow and push my team. I was reminded this week that, “if I have eight team members working for me, that 16 eyes verses my two eyes that are interacting with guests. They have a much bigger impact on guests experiences than I do.”

This is a quote I love from Andy Stanley.  He was talking about “what do you do when you realize that you’re the one that people are counting on. Do you equip, develop and lead your team or let it just coast on cruise control?

“Great Leaders have the power or influence to control other’s lives.  What do you do when it dawns on you that you are the most powerful person in the room?” – Andy Stanley