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How Leaders Develop Future Focus - How Far Can You See?

Guest post by: Dr. Maynard Brusman

Article Overview: Do you look beyond what’s in front of you - especially when daily tasks take up so much time and energy? How do you become future-oriented and still handle day-to-day challenges?

How Leaders Develop Future Focus - How Far Can You See?

Question for Discussion – How Far in the Future Can You See?

I recently read Steve Job’s biography which I found fascinating because of his focused passion and the intense drive in his personality that motivated him to achieve greatness. Steve Job’s creativity and genius for creating products that invent the future is so inspiring. Oh Wow!

My executive coaching clients and I frequently have conversations revolved around improving emotional fluency. A CEO executive coaching client told me that Mr. Jobs developed more emotional intelligence in his later years.

I’ve learned over a twenty-five year coaching career that some leaders are much more gifted than others possessing the competency of visioning the future. Executive coaching can help enlightened leaders improve their capability to engage employees emotionally in achieving the company strategy.

How Far Can You See?

Do you look beyond what’s in front of you — especially when daily tasks take up so much time and energy?

How do you become future-oriented and still handle day-to-day challenges?

While the ability to focus on the future separates leaders from the rank-and-file, many of us fail to understand and appreciate its importance. We devote almost no time to developing this vital quality, which then becomes a huge barrier to future success.

The challenge of being forward-looking escalates with each managerial level. Front-line supervisors are expected to anticipate events about three months ahead. Mid-level managers have timelines for more complex projects and need to look three to five years into the future. Those in the executive suites must focus on goals that are often 10+ years away.

How to Develop Future Focus

How do you develop your capacity to be future-focused?

Carve out some time each week to peer into the distance and imagine what may be out there.

Start with 30 minutes a day, using the time to learn about what’s going on in your industry, with customers, with the potential future of your products and services. You can read magazines, books and/or online research.

Top executives estimate they spend only about 3 percent of their time thinking about, and getting others on board with, the critical issues that will shape their business 10 or more years down the road. It’s simply not enough time.

Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching as part of their high performance leadership development program. Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-I, CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help managers manage for progress. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

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Article Tags: culture change, emotional intelligence, executive coaching, future focus, leadership development, visioning



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