My current class in graduate school focuses on leadership in for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The following is the paper I wrote last evening on Leadership and Change.
Leadership is one of the most exciting roles to fill, but also one of the most challenging. The dynamics of an ever changing economic situation and regulatory environment, keep leaders on the edge. Managing people and dealing with governing boards creates a tightrope walk to maintain differentiated healthy boundaries.
One of the most challenging aspects of leadership is maintaining focus on the big picture refusing to become consumed by the nagging minutia of daily struggles. Whether leading for-profit or nonprofit organizations this struggle is real. David Walker in The Futurist writes concerning the United States Government “myopia…can undermine a nation’s willingness and ability to act…strong economic growth, modest inflation levels…have given many policy makers…a false sense of security.” Debt continues to plague our country at record levels. Walker goes on to demonstrate 2 nations who dealt with tough choices: “Australia and New Zealand chose to face their fiscal facts and made difficult decisions that caused some short-term pain in the interest of long-term gain.”
A leader’s ability to maintain a clear focus on the future long-term endeavors of any organization is necessary and prudent. A clear cut strategic plan and measurement of key indicators are able to assist leaders in staying on track and not being sidelined by the urgent less important matters. Walker writes “the value of a strategic plan is probably obvious to futurists. By thinking more comprehensively, learning from the past and others, and focusing on the future, governments can better set priorities, target efforts and capitalize on new opportunities.”
Tough choices must be made, at times, by leaders as they examine the realities of various situations. Leaders have to be able to dream and vision cast, however a balance must be maintained in the present environment. When leaders are willing to make the difficult decisions then destruction is more likely avoided. As Walker evaluates the United States Government at the time of his writing in 2007, “there’s no way we will grow our way out of our fiscal hole. The sooner we begin to act, the better, because we are the world’s largest debtor nation, and time is working against us.”
There are key attributes required to navigate the challenging path in every organization. Integrity is vital for a leader to manage change. A leader must know who they are and where they are going in order to follow the determined road. Courage is necessary to stay the course. Many people and situations will attempt to distract leaders to follow other options. Stewardship is required by leaders so that a long term path is maintained. It is easy to accomplish short-term results, but to guide an organization through continued obstacles takes real stewardship.
Whether the organization is a church, business, government, nonprofit or a home, healthy leadership requires difficult and complex decisions.
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