One of the defining traits of leadership is the ability to “inspire a shared vision”. That’s language I often borrow from researchers Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner.

The ability of a leader to inspire a shared vision is powerful for at least two reasons:

• It defines direction: It helps create alignment towards a common purpose or goal.
• It defines identity (if done well): It creates a picture of “who we are” or “who we are becoming.”

Now, most vision development exercises don’t get into the second part – identity. Most of the time, these conversations stay at the level of direction or goal setting.

That’s ok – to a point.

But if identity isn’t addressed, organizations get stuck. They get stuck in an old identity. This is very common. It is one of the biggest reasons why organizations struggle to scale. They just can’t see themselves as being something different that what they are. Or, when they imagine growth or change – it feels scary or threatening.

It’s not just organizations. In fact, before an organization can change its identity of itself – or its own vision of its future self – its leaders need to. On an individual level.

Stuck organizations are led by stuck leaders.

Here’s Why:

I regularly encounter leaders who have fantastic opportunities but they:

• Can’t recognize the opportunity
• Won’t act on the opportunity
• Will sabotage the opportunity

All because it doesn’t match, or possibly even threatens, how they see themselves right now.

Leaders cannot lead people beyond what the leader can see or imagine. They just can’t. Leaders will always lead people towards what they (the leader) can see – real or imagined.

For example, if someone in leadership sees herself as skilled at a craft or an expert in a field – and that is where she derives her sense of value and meaning – she will get stuck at that level.

She may be stuck needing to be “the best” at the specific work. She may not see herself as a mentor or leader or facilitator of a larger group’s success. Resultingly, she won’t act or lead like that.

This puts a limit on growth and potential.

I had a client who had the Midas touch. He saw legitimate business opportunities no one else saw. He easily created businesses, and then sold and delivered millions of dollar’s worth of quality work. He saw himself as good at that.

But he saw himself as being poor with money. He didn’t trust his own financial decision-making.

As a result, he kept making decisions that were in alignment with poor financial management. He subconsciously sabotaged the success of his own company. Even though his business was insanely profitable (on paper), it was always cash poor.

And he was stuck. Which meant the company was stuck.

Because of how he saw himself.

The tactics that needed to change were simple. The challenge was his identity.

When Vision Is Too Big

Sometimes (less often) I meet leaders whose vision is big and they can’t seem to gain traction toward it. In many cases, they imagine themselves as leading more than they currently are or can.

I’ve met leaders of very small companies who confidently told me that they were the best in the business and owned their market. I’ve met many leaders who charismatically describe their goals and plans for what they will build but struggle to manage what they currently have.

This is common, and more understandable, with younger leaders. But it occasionally occurs with older ones as well. In these cases, they are typically focused on the trappings of the bigger vision. Not the beliefs, habits, and commitments that create the vision.

Using a sports analogy, there is a world of difference between:

1. Someone who can clearly see themselves as an NBA star with all the money, fame, and glitter.
2. Someone who clearly sees themselves as an athlete who trains and works like a pro, eats and sleeps like a pro, competes like a pro, and wants to get into the NBA.

Between the two – one is more likely to become a good basketball player. Maybe even a pro.

These leaders imagine the position, the power, the prestige. They don’t imagine the discipline, the focus, or the lifestyle that produces success.

What about you?

• How do you see yourself? Who do you want to be in a year? In five years?
• What do you want to build or create within what you lead?
• What current beliefs, behaviors, and relationships do you need to keep – they’ll help you grow?
• What current beliefs, behaviors, or relationships need to be challenged or changed – they are holding you back?

Take good care,

Christian

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