The foremost challenge for leaders today is to maintain the clarity to stand
confidently in the abundant universe of possibility, no matter how fierce the
competition, no matter how stark the necessity to go for the short-term goal,
no matter how fearful people are, and no matter how urgently the wolf may
appear to howl at the door. It is to have the courage and persistence to
distinguish the downward spiral from the radiant realm of possibility in the
face of any challenge. -- Benjamin Zander
There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. Conditions
don't matter, only the language we use to describe our circumstances.
Often, organizations and individuals get caught in the downward spiral of
survival at all costs. But every time we open our mouths is a choice to
leadership.
A vision is a powerful framework to take the operation of an organization of
any size from the downward spiral into the arena of possibility.
A vision articulates a possibility, fulfills a desire fundamental to
humankind, makes no reference to morality or ethics, is stated as a picture,
contains no specifics of time, place, audience, or product, is free-standing,
is a long line of possibilities radiating outward, invites infinite
expression, development, and proliferation, and speaking a vision transforms
the speaker.