Tweet

Timeless Wisdom For Modern Leaders - Lead With an Inspiring Vision For the Future

Guest post by: Per Winblad

Article Overview: King Solomon, universally acknowledged as one of the world's wisest leaders, applied leadership principles that are as relevant and powerful today as they were in biblical times. This article examines the importance of creating an inspiring vision for the development of his or her organization. In doing so, human energy and creativity are coordinated and channeled toward common projects.

Timeless Wisdom For Modern Leaders - Lead With an Inspiring Vision For the Future

A wise leader creates a vision for the development of his or her organization. In doing so, human energy and creativity are coordinated and channeled toward common projects. When everybody pulls in the same direction at the same time, extraordinary things happen.

King Solomon, a leader synonymous with wisdom, says: "Without a vision, people perish."

A wise leader engages his co-workers through understanding and involvement. Collectively, the organization builds an inspiring and comprehensive vision of possibilities. Such a vision includes and inspires everyone around them, including suppliers, clients, and the general public.

The important questions are: What kind of world do we want to create? What should be our role in the market? What kind of reputation do we want to have? Questions like these bring about a deeper connection to purpose and reality that we all need. A leader's personal vision has a great impact in this process.

Solomon says: "A wise man thinks ahead."

A leader's personal vision stretches over a lifetime and includes all of life's important areas: family, health, work, and leisure. The beautiful thing is that we all have the creative capability to imagine the future; to see the possibilities that lie ahead as we are looking towards our future through eyes of faith. We see our family prospering, being in good health and full of energy, our company creating greater value, and our leisure filled with excitement. It is in our dreams and visions that we cultivate what we ultimately reap through the process of development.

All things are created twice: First inside, in our thinking, and then outside, in our doing. When we dream of the future and establish goals and plans, we are in the process of the first creation. When we put the dreams, goals, and plans into action we activate the second creation. The first creation is like the blueprint of a house before it's built. The second, the physical creation, is when we actually are engaged in building the house.

Solomon says: "Look straight ahead; don't even turn your head to look."

Vision is holding in our mind's eye a clear picture of a desired and preferred future. We seek something important to strive for and be inspired by, we look to accomplish something worthwhile. In this vision of the future possibilities, of what can be, we create the fuel to motivate people to give of their best to make the vision a reality.

An inspiring and integrated vision, based on underlying governing values, allows us to feel that our life has a purpose and a meaning. It affects our thoughts, our actions, and how we prioritize our time. The vision becomes the driving force behind everything we do.

Solomon says: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick; but when dreams come true at last, there is life and joy."

It is important to regularly affirm and evaluate the established plan. A wise leader regularly gathers his or her team and assists the team members to gain perspective of what is happening now and how it fits into the big picture. They examine what is working well and what needs to be improved in order to move ahead.

Most things worth striving for take time to achieve. With a clear and focused vision the desire and determination grow stronger and concentrate the human energy to persevere.

Solomon says: "Plans go wrong with too few counselors; many counselors bring success."

A realistic and all-inclusive, established vision moves the process ahead. We gain our co-workers' trust and cooperation by acknowledging and building on common values, needs, interests, hopes and dreams. Bringing out the things we share as a group, we become secure in our roles and can see each individual's strengths as a resource for the development of the group. With this security in the group we can use each other's competence in new ways, which will lead to development.

Solomon says: "Dreaming instead of doing is foolishness, and there is ruin in a flood of empty words."

A leader looks to the past as well as to the present and the future in order to establish and shape an inspiring vision. She or he will transform past experiences into positive input to support visualizing a successful future. Together, we want to create a better world and we continually seek opportunities to contribute our unique abilities.

It is the responsibility of every leader to show how the vision may be realized, to focus on measurable and attainable common goals tied into individual ambitions and action plans. With an inspiring vision, supported by governing values put into action, we are creating the future we want.

To become a wiser leader:

• Let your actions and your time be guided by an inspiring vision.

• Communicate and share the vision.

• Involve your coworker in the creating of your common vision.

• Transform the vision into reality.

• Practice what you preach.

Related Articles
  It's Results That Define Leadership
  You Can Be A Leader With A Vision
  Leadership and Communication by Ology Coaching
  Wisdom
  Communicate your vision
  The Five Things Leaders Do On a Daily Basis to Be On Top!
  Developing a VIsion Statement
  Looking Back to Look Ahead
  Inspirational Leadership: Three Ideas To Build Inspiration
  Lead On: Leading By Self Expression
  Timeless Wisdom For Modern Leaders - Lead With Wisdom
  Leadership Assessment #22 – Leaders are Enablers
  Jim Kouzes: Leaders Focus on the Destination
  Leadership Career Development
  Executive Wisdom for Smart Decision-Making - Wisdom in Action
  The 4 Inner Habits of Successful Leaders
  Focus and Context: The Hub of Leadership
  Leadership is a Choice
  Are You Genuinely A Leader Or Merely A Manager?
  Future Focus - What People Want from Leaders

Article Tags: creativity, human energy, inspiring vision, king solomon, leaders, leadership principles, leadership wisdom, modern leaders, personal vision, timeless wisdom



Related Forum Posts
Re: $8 website turns into a million-dollar empire - I’ve read about this girl… Very Inspiring and motivational. Great Post for Newbies
Patent Walk-Through - Hello everyone! My name is Alex, I'm 18 years old and I'm constantly drawing up new ideas and inventing stuff. I sketch stuff down everywhere I go and on anything I can write on. I'm a big member of our local Future Business Leaders of America chapter (FBLA). In the future I hope to work my way up to being a Venture Capitalist. I think of myself as a pretty creative person who is very motivated. Some of the ideas and inventions I come up with are pretty far out but others I consider marketable and to have great potential. Being 18, I have little to no connections and no resources. I've been surfing this site pretty frequently for the last year and have finally decided to join the forum group. Anyway, here's my question... Basically, I have no idea how to get a patent together the costs and the overall process. As of now, I think I have a great idea that, as far as I know has not, ever been done before. I'm really excited about this idea. I'm a total novice at this and am willing to learn all that I can. Any information that you can provide me with would be great. Again the main things I want to know are: 1.Overall Process. 2.How Long It Takes. 3.Costs. 4.Anything That You Think I Should Know. 5.Tips/Experiences. 6.Confidentiality. 7.Must I Make A Physical Model of My Idea? Thanks guys! -Alex
Re: My Favorite Book For Entrepreneurs In 2010 - Lead The Field. By Earl Nightingale. I have read the book more than 7 times, since I bought it in 2008
Future Financial Corporation - I've never heard of Future Financial Corporation is this a new company?
Re: Books for the Entrepreneur - Lead the field by Earl Nightingale is a winner everyday. Though it is original audio messages, but I read the book every month. Every Entrepreneur should have it.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Basic Operating Question (BOQ) for Empowerment

Work at Home Moms and Their Bad Rap?

Leader's Success Secret: Celebration

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.