Leadership Series 2: Vision

Vision
Leadership Series: 2


The first of the series on leadership was on Leading, since every other leadership trait has to follow leading. Picking up from the first issue, I believe the trait next in line is that of VISION. A Leader has to have vision for him or her to be an effective leader. The ability to see beyond today, beyond the current circumstances and being able to foresee the outcomes way before they occur is what defines a leader and many leaders do not live to see nor experience nor benefit from such acts. Pastor Bill Hybels best described Vision when he said “Vision is a picture of the future that stirs passion in you” On the other Hand Vision is not the Roadmap, goals etc it’s the reason we have goals and the road map in the first place.

As I was thinking through this important aspect of leadership, this quote from H. Ross Perot rang true, he said “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles…they don’t flock; you find them one at a time.” The last sentence caught my eye because eagles have always been associated with Great leaders. Why is this so, its because eagles have always been known for their strong vision and sharp focus. Eagles have a keen vision, as their eyes are specially designed for long distance focus and clarity.

The eyesight of eagles is unparalled and as they grow older and their eyesights fade with cloudiness age, they are known to fly up towards the sun staring at it, the sun burns away all the cloudiness caused by age. Eagles are also known to be the only birds that don’t cower to shelter when it rains they fly up above the sky (using the storm’s wind to lift it higher). In both these 2 instances a leader does not let any obstacle come in the path of achieving the vision as set. The other major trait of an eagle is that they don’t flock, they just fly high up, just like leaders in real life they are so far apart we have to look for them.

Looking back into my path, I cant really pin point aspects of my work that I could say VISION stands out. I also think issues of the vision of a leader can only be looked at in retrospect, and God giving me life, I still have a lot of years to go, and only then will people look back and pin point the vision. I would want to use this opportunity to share with you some of the examples of visionary leadership that inspire me.

I will start with the person closest to me, my mom. As a primary school teacher she had a vision to see her children get the highest level of education against all odds. That vision has seen her succeed through her children as we have gone on to be who we are in our different lives. My husband, (and his broader clan) is where he is because of his uncle who a generation ago in the late 60s decided that only education will see the clan out of the poverty trap. Even though he never lived to see the fruits of the seed he planted, a generation later, the clan is totally transformed. This to me points out on one aspect of being a Visionary leader, it touches on every life of so many of us, its only when we look back that we appreciate that so and so was visionary because of the results that usually take generations to be felt or appreciated.

To the broader leaders, I will pick on Lee Kwan Yew, the first President of Singapore whose vision of a transformed Singapore was shared by the Singaporeans and today the Singapore we see is all because of his vision. Unfortunately his inability to let go once his vision had been achieved always blights his leadership. Martin Luther King is also another visionary leader who was able to share his vision with his people even though he never lived to see the results, the seed he had planted (through the “I have a dream” speech). Wangari Maathai is also one Visionary leader, who galvanized women and turned around the environmental sustainability of rural communities not only in her native Kenya but across Africa.

The Bible itself is another very good reference point for us on visionary leadership. Of all the leaders in the Bible, Joseph is one who best exemplifies a visionary leader. Hertz, Joseph H summarized Joseph’s leadership by saying that "He is the man of vision, the man of dreams; but to this he joins moral and spiritual strength in all the vicissitudes of life." This raises a point on how Visionary leadership alone is not enough if not combined with other aspects of leadership and good standing of a leader. The Lord commands us to be Visionary, and on Habakukk 2.2, the Lord instructs us to write the vision and make it plain so that people can see and understand it, as they will be instrumental in ensuring that the vision is implemented. Proverbs 29:18 is very iconic to me, and sums up the importance of visionary leadership, it states that where there is no vision people perish, and this can be assimilated to institutions as where there is no vision, the institution perishes.

As I sign off, I would only ask one Question, Who are the 5 most visionary leaders you know and why do you rank them highly.

Goodnight and enjoy the rest of your weekend.