Introduction
LESSON TWO on the Tilt Leadership Model
Resilience Meta-Factor
Definition of Resilience: The ability to quickly catalyze change to adapt and respond to a complex, dynamic environment.
Proficiency #2. Casts a Compelling Vision. (Strength=Inspiration)
The leader who is great at this is a person who possesses a capacity to see a future state of the organization they lead and are able to articulate it in a way that engages the hearts of others through common values that support the actualization of that future state. It is important to note that a vision must be something emotionally compelling or it will not engage transcending behavior (a person devoted to the mission must transcend their selfish interests in favor of the mission). So, in short, it must be about a future state that engages an idealistic outcome.
If a leader communicates a vision about "making more money" or being more profitable, this automatically engages resistance by the followers because it is not about an emotionally compelling future state. This is an interesting phenomenon that merits consideration. If companies are about making profits and making money, then why wouldn't profitability be a compelling vision? You have to try it to observe the outcome. When a senior leader talks about the money, people automatically think about greed and wonder how the "Man" will make more money...will it come out of squeezing more from me? From paying me less bonus? From taking away benefits and privileges. From saving money by not doing proactive things that are important? Essentially, it instigates worry about the underlying vices of man that are natural.
On the other hand if you have a vision about great service to others, or top quality or great people...something that instills pride in the particular objectives of the company AND it is stated in a way that is compelling, the phenomenon of "Spirit" unfolds and enables people to transcend their own interests in the interest of the shared vision. This creates a mental image of the virtues of mankind being brought forth.
Vision casting is about communicating a mental image of a better future that everyone wants, and that is communicated in a way that spells out that future state. For example, when I was in the hospitality business, our vision was "We will be the friendliest hotel to do business with!" This became the answer to every business problem we had. Our team had a powerful commitment to it, because as the leader, I tested everything we did against it. This gave it the legs it needed to become the way we are every day. As a result we were in the top ten hotels in the world for service every year. And had sustainable market share and profitability too.
The bottom line is that Vision has to appeal to the desire for meaning and purpose in people....and exceptional financial results that occur are a very real and powerful by-product of the commitment produced by an effective vision that engages the spirit of the team.
Interesting Learning for this lesson:
Taoist Diana Whitney, wrote a book in which she explains "visioning."
"Shared vision and common values are said to create organization meaning and to provide the impetus for organizational change. Leaders at all levels of the organization are guided to inspire (to fill with spirit) rather than to motivate. Visionary leadership, . . . is said to make the difference between successful and unsuccessful organization change. 'Visioning,' or conversationally projecting the organization into the future, and creating alignment among organizational members about the desired future are essential organizing endeavors." (p. 193-194) [emphasis added]
Quote by George Bernard Shaw
Some men see things as they are and say, ''Why?'' I dream of things that never were, and say, ''Why not?''
What is your vision of the future and is it alive in the spirit of everyone on your team?
NEXT time: Requisite Proficiency # 3.
Pam Boney, Lead Instructor
Tilt Academy for Innovative Leadership
pam@tilt360leaders.com
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