In the quest of leadership what do you think is the core element that metamorphoses a normal person to a leader?
Is it about attractive personality?? A charismatic personality that makes you stand above others. Is it about learning skills?? With a high IQ or experience, you are capable of seeing through problems and have the ability to solve them… Can these traits transform a normal person to a leader? I do not quite agree with these logics, even if you are a charismatic person, that doesn’t mean you are a leader. Outward presentation doesn’t have any relationship with leadership---though it helps a leader to shine more before the followers. The second is Intelligence, it is one of the criterions of leadership, if you are the leading person of a group then you must possess skills, knowledge to manage everything properly and a leader should be a great teacher for the others to raise the future leaders…But even if you are a great learner or a teacher that doesn’t mean that you can be a great leader.
According to Joshua Thomas “The people I find as good leaders or the people I am willing to follow or the people who have inspired me have tons of passion---whether it's about sports or games or writing---they are passionate about something.”
Then where does the power of passion come from?
Obviously the answer is "vision"; key that lights fire of passion in your soul---this is the element that drives you into the path of a strong-willed, fearless traveler pursuing the journey of a great transformation with right introspection of their goal.
If you have a vision means you are passionate about some idea or theory or philosophy. You start following it and believe in it resolutely, that’s when your passionate self-makes others follow you. When passion begets a new sizzling ambience inside the soul, that is the birth of an outstanding selfhood, everything about you starts to change---your behavior, your approach, your thinking.
Humans are the most tenacious creatures in the world, when we desire something seriously, we accept any ordeals that come in our path. To overcome the ordeals what do a human desire the most? “Knowledge”, a vast amount of learning, awareness, insight and proficiency. When a person gets aware of these dynamics he/she becomes a change agent of a container.
I think now you get the idea how personal vision is the core transformation key of a person.
“Your journey is completely yours. It’s unique and important for you. So you must ultimately express the vision of your journey……”
Imagination, Dream & Vision --- The Fanatical Adventure Of A Future Leader
Image Courtesy Josephine Wall
Imagination is something that wanders around in our mind-- it can be pictures or letters or words or shapes anything.. These pictures come to our mind at anytime like when you see something that attracts your interest or you are planning something about the future or you are fantasizing or daydreaming which most of the people do almost 20% of their whole time (or more!!).
The science behind imagination is more abyssal than you think it is. There is no boundary to a person’s imagination. It's a big fathomless universe full with people’s hopes, despairs, goals, twists, and delusions. A bitter-sweet sensation that we feel in the day-to-day lives. I have heard people telling “I don’t have the power of imagination”. In my point of view, for creatures like humans, who has the power to see and think-- it is impossible to prevent our mind from imaginations.
There are many components that materialize imaginations in our mortal minds.
According to the discipline of imagination, the first element is “Environment”. As a social creature, we have to survive in various environments of our periodic lives. The developments that happen around us trigger wild imaginations-- like when you are dealing with an issue of your project or when you are reading a book or when you are watching something from the windows of a train. Those imaginations can be the reflection of your understanding about those particular events.
The second elemental cause is “Memory”. Imagination can’t be described in a scientific language. Science can’t penetrate into the cosmos of thoughts & imagination. So again according to the discipline of imagination, “visualization of your perceptual memory triggers imagination”--- up to this point how was my life? How have I been facing the obstacles in these past years? All these questions generate imaginations. Those imaginations can be the answer of the past to the future or present or just some delusional images.
Dream, First and foremost dream theory was given by Sigmund Freud. Dr. Freud's theories of the dream are based on the idea of “Repressed longing”-- the desires that we aren't able to express. Imagination is the foundation of dreams. Dreams reflect the unconscious mind to carry on the imaginary thoughts and desires. But according to Carl Jung Dreams allow us to reflect on our waking selves and solve our problems or think through issues.
In my point of view, Dreams are like the two sides of a coin. The dream loop can be nectarous by giving you a meaningful life or can be a nightmare by leading you astray from the reality. The dream world is really beautiful, unlike other earthlings we have the capability of dreaming and the ability to treasure them as precious entities. (Recent research suggests that other beings also dream, but they are not aware of this function) But, no matter what you dream, the aftereffects of your dreams depends on your actions and choices.
Vision is a profound level consciousness that is beyond the hypnotic state of dreams. This is the stage where future leaders take the first step of their gallant journey towards a noble destiny.
How To Recognize The True Vision?
I have asked this question to many people, the most common answer was “When you become successful and satisfied with the life.”
Let me clarify some unwavering facts here, as you know we are the greediest creature on this planet. From the beginning, we have never been satisfied with the present state. That is why we went through so many evolutions and still now we continue to do so. How can you say that you are satisfied with the life?
The entities like ----- Peace --- Happiness does exist in our lives, but “Satisfaction” is a different thing. Humans can’t abide by this dynamic and maybe never will in the distant future.
With the passing time, we just get used to things that we have with us right now. So we stopped asking for more, but that doesn’t mean there are no desires left in us.
Second is “Successful”, what kind of idea do you get when you say “I am successful?” If you are successful does that mean you are a person with right introspection of your vision.
Your child goes to an international school--you are spending a lot of money in the education of your child. Someday he/she will go to a big university, then will get qualified for a big international firm. This is the “Today’s so-called Happily Ever After Scenario” of parents.
Does this make your child a true Visionary? Here I would like to shift my question to the child--have you spend a little bit time thinking where do you truly wish to see yourself in the future? How much determined are you for that purpose?
Visions are not some random mechanism. It comes with a solid boldness and strong persistence.
Identify Your Personal Vision -- Find The Real You
After defining personal vision, the next thing comes to the picture is how to identify our personal vision? According to Senge, We need to differentiate between vision, goals, and objectives. A vision is an image of the future that you desire. Specific goals and objectives may serve to help you achieve the vision. Senge also notes that your vision should have a purpose. If your vision doesn't have a sense of purpose, a reason of being, then pursuing your vision is pointless.
The statement of the personal vision should be the true contemplation of your awaited and aspired future. It means the personal vision statement reflects the very future you want to live in.
Charles Baudelaire says, “He who looks through an open window, sees fewer things than he who looks through a closed window.” A person through a window sees the things that appear right in front of the eyes, but a person in a closed room will see the things that he/she has been imagining in the mind. For that person, it’s a desire or vision that he/she seeks and wishes to view after opening that closed window. As old people say, the world is pure, if your vision is pure.. Things around you change according to the way you want to see them.
The practice of personal vision is to make your mind fixate on some intention.
According to the science of mind, there are two types of humans exist:
--The masters of their own life (by achieving mastery over their own mind)
--Slaves of their mind and its whims.
Our mind is a gigantic vessel filled with countless images. The most basic nature of human mind is boundless freeness and it hates to be disciplined. It's like a world of fairy tales where impossible things can be possible, unlike the reality. Since humans have the weakness towards the sweet delusions, so it's quite easy to control a creature like us. Many temptations start to occupy our attention and drag us far from the actuality.
The choice is yours; without jumping on the wave of thoughts and focusing on the worthy side of the life is what we need.. Focus comes when you recognize the things that you truly desire and a distracted mind is not capable of fulfilling that purpose.
A true visionary never gets distracted from the outer interruptions, because he/she knows “The thing I seek is not here, so I need to walk on the right direction of my true destiny.”
Vision, Action & Leadership
Vision is a collegial term of action and leadership, I can’t answer which among these comes first. Many times we happen to find our vision first and the take actions regarding that to become a leader, but people who are blind on the vision term try to take actions in hope to find their vision.
One thing I am sure that none of these can give success alone, all of these are interdependent.
By simple definition If a visionary leader only dreams without action then he/she is no different from a delusional day dreamer, but then again if a dreamer takes action to achieve a particular dream then he/she is a winner or a true leader.
According to Robert A. Heinlein, “Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become. A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl that she used to be. But a great artist can look at an old woman, portray her exactly as she is and force the viewer to see the pretty girl she used to be. More than that, he can make anyone see that this lovely young girl is still alive, not old and ugly at all, but a beautiful person simply prisoned inside her ruined body.”
A Visionless Person Is The Most Beggared Person On Earth!
I know this statement contradicts many people’s views & lifestyle, but the talk of being poor doesn’t refer to an individual’s materialistic possession. Such as; money, job, big house, pricey car. These things don't give the self-worth that you a person needs to live a noble life. The future belongs to those who see the possibilities in any situation and move forward towards their vision.
“Leadership is the capability to transform your vision into reality……”
The success of leadership Success Always Starts With Vision. Vision brings self esteem-ness in individuals----a self-esteemed the person knows how much worthy and valuable his/her existence is!
The vessel of an ordinary person transforms into a leader when he/she doesn’t compromise with the choices and possibilities, because if you do that you can only see the things that seem possible or reasonable to you. This leads you to disconnect yourself from what you truly desire. Grasping your vision and keep holding on to it till the end of the journey is the essence of a successful leadership.
When does an Influencer become a Creator?
“Great leaders communicate a vision that captures the imagination and fires the hearts and minds of those around them.”
---Joseph B. Wirthlin
Every influencer painfully experiences the struggle between the inner vision and its ultimate expression. We all have conviction about something. But we are NOT sure that the confidence we are developing is being used in a right direction or not. You have noticed sometimes some people waste their time by thinking and wishing about illusory things. For an influencer, it is necessary to have the in-depth wisdom of the vision, through which he/she wants connect with others.
Over the centuries, there were influential warriors, who advanced on the new roads with nothing but their own vision. Obviously their goals were different, they took different ways, they had different followers---everything was different but they all had one thing in common--- strong audacity or conviction to take the first step on a new road. Sometimes their thoughts were being welcomed by others and sometimes they were being harassed and bullied.
There was a time, the great scientist Galileo, who is known by many titles: “The father of modern observational astronomy”; “The father of modern physics” was being beleaguered by the people of his time. Same with Copernicus and Kepler. People of ancient time used to consider the research on space science and astronomy as sinful acts. For them discovering planet other than the Earth was controversial; flying to the outside of Earth was impossible. These things happen all the time. Every great new thought has to go through lots of opposition. Changing the minds of people have always been a burdened task for leaders of every generation. It is a phase where the leader has to stand alone and fight for his/her ideas and this is also the phase where an influencer takes the steps towards the path of a creator.
Temenos Vision Labs: An Invitation To Discover Your True Personal Vision
Our organization Temenos + Agility conducts TVL labs all around the world. Here we apply the above-described theologies and our own framework; i.e. “Influence Maps” to harvest personal visions among our participants. These labs can be conducted for organizations that need a shared vision for transformation and also in a personal basis for regular people to become aware of their vision.
Our Temenos speakers follow the laws and techniques of influence map through the process. We believe the true harmony of life lies in closing the pre-existing chapters and moving forward to what you really want. We let our participants go through three stages to bring out their true personal vision of life.
Other than TVL labs, we conduct iCAT, eCAT, and xCAT labs to raise awareness of business people about their personal vision and the shared vision of their containers (i.e. in their team and organization)
