Great leaders have a vision, and the ability to manifest it. Defining your own vision begins with looking and listening. You look and listen to the situation around you, but you also look and listen inside. Four steps are involved:
Impartial observation—Look and listen with your senses.
Analysis—Look and listen with your mind.
Feeling—Look and listen with your heart.
Incubation—Look and listen with your soul.
Once you have gone through these four steps, your personal vision can begin to express itself.
When we look and listen fully, we involve the body, the mind, the heart, and the soul.
Body: The stage of observing and information gathering
Mind: The stage of analysis and judgment
Heart: The stage of feeling
Soul: The stage of incubation
Observation: Begin by being as open and impartial as possible. See as much as you can, and listen to whoever has something to say. In a sense you function like a video camera. Allow sights and sounds to come in freely and objectively.
Analysis: At the same time, your mind is also taking in the situation. It begins to weigh and analyze. Allow any and every idea to come to mind. Watch what arises, and notice wisps of answers, new interpretations, and novel combinations. Once again, steer clear of judgments and preconceptions. Be unbiased and clear-headed.
Feeling: At the level of your heart, notice what feels right. Feeling is subtler and truer than pure analysis. This is the level where sudden insight can strike you. You are bringing intuition into the picture, allowing for the “aha” moment that accompanies quantum leaps of creativity.
Incubation: Now let go and wait. When a vision is incubating, it goes into a deep, invisible place. A profound and infinite intelligence nurses your vision, adapting it to your needs and the needs of everyone around you. You have gained access to something greater than yourself, whether you call it the higher self, pure awareness, or your connection with God. If none of these terms work for you, you might want to think of the soul as “who I really am.”
FINDING YOUR TRUE PURPOSE
Being in touch with the soul is the secret of great leadership. We are all capable of following the path that unites body, mind, heart, and soul. By making a soul connection, your true purpose in life will become the foundation of everything you do. Leaders exist to give of themselves, and you can give only from what you have. The soul—that is, the core of your true self—is the place where you will locate insight, creativity, imagination, and profound intelligence. When you know what is happening at your very core, what you have to give becomes limitless.
Your mission statement will fuse two components:
1. A Soul Profile that reflects your values, and a Personal Vision that reflects your deepest intentions.
Your Soul Profile
Using just a few words or phrases, answer the following questions. Be candid, and don’t dwell too long on the questions before you answer them. Let your first responses guide you.
1. What’s my contribution in life?
2. What’s the purpose in what I do?
3. How do I feel when I have a peak experience?
4. Who are my heroes and heroines (from history, mythology, fiction, religion)?
5. What are the qualities that I look for in a best friend?
6. What are my unique skills and talents?
7. What are the best qualities I express in a personal relationship?
Now, using the keywords you've developed in your answers above, write a brief profile of your soul as if you were describing another person. For example: “Deepak’s purpose is to grow personally and to bring out inner potential and hidden possibilities. He contributes by being loving and supportive. When he has a peak experience, he feels great inner peace and unity with everything around him. His heroes are Gandhi, Buddha, Jesus, Mother Divine, and Krishna. In a best friend he looks for understanding and stimulation. He feels that his unique skill is communication. He has a talent for getting others to look beyond their old conditioning and fixed boundaries. His best quality in personal relationships is to love, support, and appreciate the other person.”
2. Keeping your soul profile close at hand, now move on to the next step: defining your personal vision.
Your Personal Vision
Again using just a few words or phrases, complete the following sentences. Let yourself go. Don't worry about being logical, or about the feasibility of implementing these ideas. Just write whatever comes to you. And above all, be true to yourself.
1. I want to live in a world in which ___________.
2. I would be inspired to work in an organization that ___________.
3. I would be proud to lead a team that ___________.
4. A transformed world would be ____________.
To match your present work with your vision, answer the following:
Your Mission Statement
Now that you have written down your values and your vision, merge the two into a succinct statement of your overall mission in this lifetime. Your statement should describe what you want to accomplish as a leader from this point forward. Use the following template:
My mission behind everything I do is _____________.
• Keep it simple and concise.
• A child should be able to understand it.
• You should be able to state it even in your sleep.
Example: My own mission statement originally was “to reach critical mass and achieve a peaceful, just, sustainable, and healthy world.” This needed to be simplified, which led me to come up with a clearer mission: “To serve the world and all who live in it.”
Finally, see if you can crystallize your mission statement into one word. Mine is “serve.” Yours might be “grow,” “evolve,” “inspire,” “peace,” or anything else. The key is that when you hit upon the most succinct way of stating your purpose, you will be listening to your true self, which is the first requirement for anyone who aspires to lead from the soul.
As a leader, your vision exists to be shared with enthusiasm and inspiration. The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek root en-theos or “in God,” reminding you that you must look in your soul. Inspiration comes from the same Latin root as to breathe and spirit. When you inspire others, you bring everyone into the spirit of your vision—you motivate them to breathe together in the same atmosphere.
PUTTING YOUR VISION TO WORK
A vision is general; situations are specific. Now you must know how to enter situations and handle them at every level, from superfi cial (but necessary) managerial tasks to articulating the core of values and beliefs that each of us protects and cherishes.
The Needs of the Group
Safety, security
Achievement, success
Cooperation
Nurturing, belonging
Creativity, progress
Moral values
Spiritual fulfillment
As a guide, here are some common situations that revolve around the seven needs:
1. Safety, Security
Situations of threat and instability. People feel insecure. Discontent is in the air. You can see nervous faces, feel the prevailing anxiety. Who is going to make the situation feel safer?
2. Achievement, Success
Situations of unrealized achievement. People feel unsuccessful. They want to be more productive, but there’s not enough fire or passion to make it happen. Who is going to step up and provide the motivation so sorely needed?
3. Cooperation
Situations of incoherence and fragmentation. There’s no team spirit. The group disintegrates into bickering and petty wrangling. Meetings go on forever but reach no conclusion. Who’s going to be the glue that brings coherence to the situation?
4. Nurturing, Belonging
Situations mired in bad feeling and apathy. Everyone is going through the motions, doing what they need to do, but feeling disengaged. There’s little personal support or trust. Who’s going to bring heart to the situation and make others feel that they belong?
5. Creativity, Progress
Situations dominated by old solutions and stale ideas. People feel stymied. Everyone agrees that something new is needed, but all that emerges are small variations on the status quo. Who’s going to bring the spark of creativity to the situation?
6. Moral Values
Situations that are spiritually empty and corrupt. The weak feel hopeless, and the strong are cynically taking advantage. People talk about righting wrongs, but no one knows where to start. The future feels like wishful thinking; the present is oppressive and suffocating. Who will bring hope and a renewed sense of innocence?
7. Spiritual Fulfillment
Situations that symbolize the human condition. People are asking the big questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Many are seeking God. There is talk of a higher reality, yet faith is lacking. Who can bring the light and demonstrate that holiness is a living reality?
WHAT TO DO TODAY
Need: Safety, security
Leader’s response: I'm strong when it comes to defending others. I keep my head in a crisis; I’m good in an emergency.
Need: Achievement, success
Leader’s response: I know what it takes to win. I can motivate people to achieve. I can make them believe in me.
Need: Cooperation
Leader’s response: I'm a conciliator who can see both sides of a conflict. I'm steady and not impulsive. I know how to get people out of their entrenched positions.
Need: Nurturing, belonging
Leader’s response: Empathy comes easily to me. I understand human nature. I know how to get people to forgive and see the best in one another. Handling emotional situations doesn’t fluster me; I’m comfortable with it.
Need: Creativity, progress
Leader’s response: I can get people to think outside the box. I know what makes creative people tick. I love to explore new possibilities. The unknown doesn’t frighten me.
Need: Moral values
Leader’s response: I feel a calling. I want to heal old wounds, and I can help people see their higher purpose for being here. I want to share my understanding of why we were put on this earth.
Need: Spiritual fulfillment
Leader’s response: I feel whole. I influence others who want the experience of inner peace that I have. My inner silence speaks louder than words. I lead through my presence. Others consider me wise.
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=pZ0P6oJHg3QC&dq=%22Great+leaders+have+a+vision,+and+the+ability+to+manifest+it.%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Amv5U6SPIdKRuATB5YKYBw&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ
Impartial observation—Look and listen with your senses.
Analysis—Look and listen with your mind.
Feeling—Look and listen with your heart.
Incubation—Look and listen with your soul.
Once you have gone through these four steps, your personal vision can begin to express itself.
When we look and listen fully, we involve the body, the mind, the heart, and the soul.
Body: The stage of observing and information gathering
Mind: The stage of analysis and judgment
Heart: The stage of feeling
Soul: The stage of incubation
Observation: Begin by being as open and impartial as possible. See as much as you can, and listen to whoever has something to say. In a sense you function like a video camera. Allow sights and sounds to come in freely and objectively.
Analysis: At the same time, your mind is also taking in the situation. It begins to weigh and analyze. Allow any and every idea to come to mind. Watch what arises, and notice wisps of answers, new interpretations, and novel combinations. Once again, steer clear of judgments and preconceptions. Be unbiased and clear-headed.
Feeling: At the level of your heart, notice what feels right. Feeling is subtler and truer than pure analysis. This is the level where sudden insight can strike you. You are bringing intuition into the picture, allowing for the “aha” moment that accompanies quantum leaps of creativity.
Incubation: Now let go and wait. When a vision is incubating, it goes into a deep, invisible place. A profound and infinite intelligence nurses your vision, adapting it to your needs and the needs of everyone around you. You have gained access to something greater than yourself, whether you call it the higher self, pure awareness, or your connection with God. If none of these terms work for you, you might want to think of the soul as “who I really am.”
FINDING YOUR TRUE PURPOSE
Being in touch with the soul is the secret of great leadership. We are all capable of following the path that unites body, mind, heart, and soul. By making a soul connection, your true purpose in life will become the foundation of everything you do. Leaders exist to give of themselves, and you can give only from what you have. The soul—that is, the core of your true self—is the place where you will locate insight, creativity, imagination, and profound intelligence. When you know what is happening at your very core, what you have to give becomes limitless.
Your mission statement will fuse two components:
1. A Soul Profile that reflects your values, and a Personal Vision that reflects your deepest intentions.
Your Soul Profile
Using just a few words or phrases, answer the following questions. Be candid, and don’t dwell too long on the questions before you answer them. Let your first responses guide you.
1. What’s my contribution in life?
2. What’s the purpose in what I do?
3. How do I feel when I have a peak experience?
4. Who are my heroes and heroines (from history, mythology, fiction, religion)?
5. What are the qualities that I look for in a best friend?
6. What are my unique skills and talents?
7. What are the best qualities I express in a personal relationship?
Now, using the keywords you've developed in your answers above, write a brief profile of your soul as if you were describing another person. For example: “Deepak’s purpose is to grow personally and to bring out inner potential and hidden possibilities. He contributes by being loving and supportive. When he has a peak experience, he feels great inner peace and unity with everything around him. His heroes are Gandhi, Buddha, Jesus, Mother Divine, and Krishna. In a best friend he looks for understanding and stimulation. He feels that his unique skill is communication. He has a talent for getting others to look beyond their old conditioning and fixed boundaries. His best quality in personal relationships is to love, support, and appreciate the other person.”
2. Keeping your soul profile close at hand, now move on to the next step: defining your personal vision.
Your Personal Vision
Again using just a few words or phrases, complete the following sentences. Let yourself go. Don't worry about being logical, or about the feasibility of implementing these ideas. Just write whatever comes to you. And above all, be true to yourself.
1. I want to live in a world in which ___________.
2. I would be inspired to work in an organization that ___________.
3. I would be proud to lead a team that ___________.
4. A transformed world would be ____________.
To match your present work with your vision, answer the following:
- How does your work in the world reflect the vision you outlined above?
- What do you need (from your team or organization) to get closer to your ideals?
- What can you offer (to your team and organization) to move it closer to your ideals?
Your Mission Statement
Now that you have written down your values and your vision, merge the two into a succinct statement of your overall mission in this lifetime. Your statement should describe what you want to accomplish as a leader from this point forward. Use the following template:
My mission behind everything I do is _____________.
• Keep it simple and concise.
• A child should be able to understand it.
• You should be able to state it even in your sleep.
Example: My own mission statement originally was “to reach critical mass and achieve a peaceful, just, sustainable, and healthy world.” This needed to be simplified, which led me to come up with a clearer mission: “To serve the world and all who live in it.”
Finally, see if you can crystallize your mission statement into one word. Mine is “serve.” Yours might be “grow,” “evolve,” “inspire,” “peace,” or anything else. The key is that when you hit upon the most succinct way of stating your purpose, you will be listening to your true self, which is the first requirement for anyone who aspires to lead from the soul.
As a leader, your vision exists to be shared with enthusiasm and inspiration. The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek root en-theos or “in God,” reminding you that you must look in your soul. Inspiration comes from the same Latin root as to breathe and spirit. When you inspire others, you bring everyone into the spirit of your vision—you motivate them to breathe together in the same atmosphere.
PUTTING YOUR VISION TO WORK
A vision is general; situations are specific. Now you must know how to enter situations and handle them at every level, from superfi cial (but necessary) managerial tasks to articulating the core of values and beliefs that each of us protects and cherishes.
The Needs of the Group
Safety, security
Achievement, success
Cooperation
Nurturing, belonging
Creativity, progress
Moral values
Spiritual fulfillment
As a guide, here are some common situations that revolve around the seven needs:
1. Safety, Security
Situations of threat and instability. People feel insecure. Discontent is in the air. You can see nervous faces, feel the prevailing anxiety. Who is going to make the situation feel safer?
2. Achievement, Success
Situations of unrealized achievement. People feel unsuccessful. They want to be more productive, but there’s not enough fire or passion to make it happen. Who is going to step up and provide the motivation so sorely needed?
3. Cooperation
Situations of incoherence and fragmentation. There’s no team spirit. The group disintegrates into bickering and petty wrangling. Meetings go on forever but reach no conclusion. Who’s going to be the glue that brings coherence to the situation?
4. Nurturing, Belonging
Situations mired in bad feeling and apathy. Everyone is going through the motions, doing what they need to do, but feeling disengaged. There’s little personal support or trust. Who’s going to bring heart to the situation and make others feel that they belong?
5. Creativity, Progress
Situations dominated by old solutions and stale ideas. People feel stymied. Everyone agrees that something new is needed, but all that emerges are small variations on the status quo. Who’s going to bring the spark of creativity to the situation?
6. Moral Values
Situations that are spiritually empty and corrupt. The weak feel hopeless, and the strong are cynically taking advantage. People talk about righting wrongs, but no one knows where to start. The future feels like wishful thinking; the present is oppressive and suffocating. Who will bring hope and a renewed sense of innocence?
7. Spiritual Fulfillment
Situations that symbolize the human condition. People are asking the big questions: Who am I? Why am I here? Many are seeking God. There is talk of a higher reality, yet faith is lacking. Who can bring the light and demonstrate that holiness is a living reality?
WHAT TO DO TODAY
Need: Safety, security
Leader’s response: I'm strong when it comes to defending others. I keep my head in a crisis; I’m good in an emergency.
Need: Achievement, success
Leader’s response: I know what it takes to win. I can motivate people to achieve. I can make them believe in me.
Need: Cooperation
Leader’s response: I'm a conciliator who can see both sides of a conflict. I'm steady and not impulsive. I know how to get people out of their entrenched positions.
Need: Nurturing, belonging
Leader’s response: Empathy comes easily to me. I understand human nature. I know how to get people to forgive and see the best in one another. Handling emotional situations doesn’t fluster me; I’m comfortable with it.
Need: Creativity, progress
Leader’s response: I can get people to think outside the box. I know what makes creative people tick. I love to explore new possibilities. The unknown doesn’t frighten me.
Need: Moral values
Leader’s response: I feel a calling. I want to heal old wounds, and I can help people see their higher purpose for being here. I want to share my understanding of why we were put on this earth.
Need: Spiritual fulfillment
Leader’s response: I feel whole. I influence others who want the experience of inner peace that I have. My inner silence speaks louder than words. I lead through my presence. Others consider me wise.
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