My view is that leadership thinking can be based on a simple formula of three imperatives:
Escape + Search = Think
Escape + Search = Think
Escape + Search = Think
DFQ #04:
Post your comment on how you think
ESCAPE + SEARCH = THINK might help
you to become a much better leader.
About the only time a leader is needed is when most people don’t know the way. Someone needs to have taken the time to actively work out the possibles and consequences.
‘Search’ implies more than a quick look-round for anything obvious.
The intention to settle for a better view of the situation that’s ten times better than what’s currently obvious, followed by action to achieve that would give me some confidence that the person offering their thoughts would be one worth following – just to see what might come of it.
If I behaved in that way I think I’d have enough leisure to actually stand back and monitor, rather than being caught up too much on the process. Much easier to lead others wisely with space for detachment.
Searching for left field solutions to problems – the bvs. This can be difficult when working in a large organisation as the bureaucratic forces are always working against you, or petty jealousy comes into play and your ideas are put down or discarded, even though they may be good.
Problem solving often means getting down to details and intricacies. Before committing the time and effort to resolving solutions it is better to survey the domain of possible solutions and even to try to reframe the problem as either may lead you to an easier, more effective or fruitful innovative result. When you are immersed in details it is hard to step back to the bigger picture. Escape step. Once you have, you need ask focussed generative questions of the problem and solution context ‘what if’ mode. Search step. Thinking how to improve upon results does require results generated so far.. CVS2BVS. Think step.
Problem solving often means getting down to details and intricacies. Before committing the time and effort to resolving solutions it is better to survey the domain of possible solutions and even to try to reframe the problem as either may lead you to an easier, more effective or fruitful innovative result. When you are immersed in details it is hard to step back to the bigger picture. Escape step. Once you have, you need ask focussed generative questions of the problem and solution context ‘what if’ mode. Search step. Thinking how to improve upon results does require results generated so far.. CVS2BVS. Think step.
Having the courage to escape from you current view and search for a better view will open up alternatives and new choices. Most of us are more comfortable with the known rather than the unknown, so curiosity and courage would seem to be essential in this pursuit.
People respect those who go out on a limb and bring back new, fresh alternatives for cosideration.
First, escape from currently held views. Then search for other and better views. Then process those views.
A leader is someone who can always think outside the box. He/she can engage in creative thinking to resolve whatever issues arise.
I think it might help people to lead others by providing hope: that things can be better, that we can be better. This should make us happy. It might also enable more opportunties to establish peace, because it must often involve letting go of our insistence tht we alone are right.
By escaping from your current view and searching for a better view, your are always thinking of a better solution. By always thinking make you a better leader.
By escaping from a position of stagnant thought and comfort (CVS), and searching for a way to improve all facets of our lives(BVS), we can continue to grow and think of ways to continue to improve our lot. We can not stay still because the world moves on, so by default we must nessesarliy be going backwards. By focussing of the forward thinking, we can then lead and give hope to those who follow that there is a better future.