Leadership is Shrewd

Leaders who inspire me are shrewd.

The leaders who bring out the best in me rely on practical wisdom that builds trust and respect.

For one thing, they recognize what they have.

The leaders who inspire me assess and activate the resources at their disposal. They do not waste time wishing they had more or different tools. They find the strength in how things are.

Their shrewdness begins with the core values we share. They do not struggle against them or try to work around them. They know that their leadership, as well as our strength as a team working together, grow from our shared values.

Second, they see opportunities.

The leaders who bring out the best in me understand that we are not limited to moving in straight lines. We prepare, creating a plan and objectives that will help us move toward our goal, but we have flexibility.

We have the potential to adjust to take advantage of ways to move forward that we did not anticipate.

Leaders who inspire me recognize that we are more than the sum total of our plans or preparation. We have strength and creativity beyond the boundaries of our objectives.

Third, they understand that time is fleeting.

I have worked with people in leadership positions who meticulously put together maps of the future which foresaw every possible eventuality.

They were confident that they could resolve every possible issue in advance, if only they were given enough time.

They did not recognize that preparation is only helpful when it leads to action. Their plans did not help us move toward our goals because there was no time to put them into practice. They ran out of time for implementation.

How shrewd is your leadership today?

Do you recognize the strengths of what you have?

Where does your leadership see opportunities?

[Image by jolieodell]