How do you know if you're a leader? I think that real leadership starts with having a vision and a plan for your life and business. You have to know where you want to go, what success looks like, and how you'll get there. That’s the only way you can lead a team to make your vision come to life and the only way you can decide what to focus on with so many things competing for your attention. Today, we’re talking about the need for vision in leadership. Now, my vision isn't going to be your vision. You've got to find your own. But where do you start?
I recommend that you start by doing a vision board. If you're not familiar with this, it's something where you cut out images from magazines and glue them to poster board or cardboard in order of importance. When they're all put together in one place, your entire focus is clear right there for the world to see. Doing an exercise like this makes your goals and your vision visible.
The next thing to do is to start working on the steps that will get you there. You can't just allow your vision to be a dream: it has to have actionable items in it, things that are doable and specific for you as an individual. When you know what those actionable items are, you need to block off time in your calendar each week to get those things done! If the time to complete the task isn't blocked off on your calendar, it isn't going to happen! Eventually, week by week, that vision on your vision board starts to become real.
If you want to be a good leader or if you want to be profitable and productive, you need to have a vision for your life and business. You've got to know what you want your life to look like, and you've got to treat this like a business that supports that life. So my challenge for you this week is to take a step back and consider where you're headed. What is your vision for yourself as a leader in your business? What is your vision for your life five years from now? Ten years from now? If you decide to make a vision board, let me know! Share your experience on social and tag me @angelaproffitt and we can all work toward these goals together!