In this blog I have written much about the value of setting goals, being clear on objectives, and making sure that the actions of a leader matches the espoused values and intentions. It remains important that we look inward and do some thorough self-reflection so that we know the things that we truly want to be pursuing, so that our personal and professional lives reach the potential we not only possess, but desire. If someone wants only a moderate level of achievement and significance in their life, that is up to them to pursue. However, if someone has the fire within to be a great leader of people and take their organization and mission to the highest levels, it becomes crucial that evaluation is done, visions defined, objectives set, and action put into practice. Great leaders know what they are going for and why they are going for it, then put in the work to develop a plan of action, and then they do the hardest part, doing it.
Leaders, once in the process of going for their vision, get on the right track to reach their desired destination. Just as a train can only arrive where their tracks lead, we must make sure that the track we choose to follow is going to take us where we want to go. If we somehow end up on the wrong track, or on no track at all, there is no way that we will end up in the place we want to go. Yes, God can change our tracks, and occasionally this happens, but that is a conversation for another day altogether! For this discussion, let’s assume that through our self-awareness efforts we have discovered the destination which we are to be moving toward and we have put ourselves on the right track to get there. Up ahead there will be perils which might cause us to derail, and when that happens, leaders have to do whatever it takes to get back on the track and continue the journey. Other times, there will be a switch in the tracks which will allow us to go one way or another, and the challenge for leaders there is to evaluate the options and make a decision based on the destination to which they have already committed. When a choice of tracks presents itself, the leader must take a step back and ask, “Which of these tracks will get me to the place I want to go?” A different track may seem very attractive at the time, but taking it may be the last thing one should do, because it may lead to an entirely different destination and steal the opportunity to reach one’s full potential.
Sometimes the right track will feel easy and smooth, however, though the correct one, it will often be filled with steep climbs, rough terrain, and stormy weather. Many people will interpret these conditions as signs that this isn’t the right track to be on at all, however, the ones destined to be great leaders understand that the best achievements are the ones for which we must earn the progress we make, and there will always be challenges along the way that build our character, renew our resolve, and strengthen our spirit, all of which are necessary for us to lead others on their tracks of life.
If you know the destination you wish to reach, if you have set for yourself a plan of action and have placed yourself on the right track, but maybe have derailed or taken the wrong switch – get yourself back on track. Back up if necessary and get back to the direction to which you know in your gut you’re supposed to be heading. Masses of people will talk the talk of setting objectives and expounding on where they intend to arrive, but often they will take any old track that is before them and allow themselves to be distracted, and eventually they end up somewhere they never intended to go. I encourage you to stay on the right track. The greatest leaders do this each and every day.
Lead well.