Vision is everything for a leader. It is utterly indispensable. Why? Because vision leads the leader. It paints the target. It sparks and fuels the fire within, and draws him forward. It is also the fire lighter for others who follow that leader. Show me a leader without vision, and I’ll show you someone who isn’t going anywhere. At best, he is traveling in circles.

To get a handle on vision and how it comes to be a part of a good leader’s life, understand these things:

Vision Starts Within
Vision comes from seeing what can be based on your creativity and desire for excellence. If you lack vision, look inside yourself. Draw on your natural gifts and desires. Look to your calling if you have one. And if you still don’t sense a vision of your own, then consider hooking up with a leader whose vision resonates with you. Become his partner.

Vision Draws on Your History
Vision isn ’t some mystical quality that comes out of a vacuum, as some people seem to believe. It grows from a leader’s past and the history of the people around him. It is true for all leaders. Talk to any leader, and you’re likely to discover key events in this past that were instrumental in the creation of his vision.

Vision Meets Others’ Needs
True vision is far-reaching. It goes beyond what one individual can accomplish. And if it has real value, it does more than just include others; it adds value to them. If you have a vision that doesn’t serve others, it’s probably too small.

Vision Helps You Gather Resources
One of the most valuable benefits of vision is that it acts like a magnet---attracting, challenging, and uniting people. It also rallies finances and other resources. The greater the vision, the more winners it has to the potential to attract. The more challenging the vision, the harder the participants fight to achieve it. Edwin Land, the founder of Polaroid, adviced, “The first thing you do is teach the person to feel that the vision is very important and nearly impossible. That draws out the drive in winners.”

Reflecting on It
The Higher Voice
Although it’s true that your vision must come from within, you shouldn’t let it be confined by your limited capabilities. Have you looked beyond yourself, even beyond your own lifetime, as you’ve sought your vision? If not, you may be missing your true potential and life’s best for you.

Bringing It Home
To improve your vision, do the following:

• Measure yourself. If you have previously thought about the vision for your life and articulated it, measure how well you are carrying it out. Talk to several key people, such as your spouse, a close friend, and key employees, asking them to state what they think your vision is. If they can articulate it, then you are probably living it.
  
• Write it down. If you’ve thought about your vision but never put it in writing, take the time to do it today. Writing clarifies your thinking. Once you’ve written it, evaluate whether it is worthy of your life’s best. And then pursue it with all you’ve got.
  
• Do a gut check. If you haven’t done a lot of work on vision, spend the next several weeks or months thinking about it. Consider what really impacts you at a gut level.
  
  What makes you cry?
  What makes you dream?
  What gives you energy?
  
  Also think about what you’d like to see change in the world around you. What do you see that isn’t---but could be? Once your ideas start to become clearer, write them down and talk to a mentor about them.

If you have enjoyed reading this excerpt from John Maxwell’s The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, then I encourage you to purchase this book for your own personal library. It can be found at any bookstore. If you would like more information about his organization and additional resources, contact him at:
The INJOY Group
PO Box 7700, Atlanta, GA 30357-0700
800-333-6506
www.injoy.com