See It Before You See It

If you can’t define the problem, you don’t have one yet.

If you can’t imagine the potential for a solution, you may not be able to lead the way.

If you can’t ask good diagnostic questions, you can’t expect decent answers.

If you can’t paint a compelling vision of a future horizon, you shouldn’t expect people to pursue it.

If you can’t see it before you see it, you’ll never see it.

Leadership isn’t easy. Casting vision isn’t for the fainthearted. Continually pressing forward and jumping over obstacles – all while staring down your own doubts – isn’t something that comes naturally. In order to stay on the road and stay focused, you have to see the win…before you actually see the win.

(photo credit)

Thanks to Ken Blanchard, Tim Anderson, and Todd Adkins, all of whom provided some version of the best one liners above.