Some days ago, driving to work was a hassle. The weather report had indicated there would limited visibility—this time they were right, the fog was dense. As I drove as carefully as my reckless driving self could, I couldn’t help but liken my experience to some seasons of leadership. As a leader, there are and will be times when the road ahead seems unclear and visibility is limited. To the best of my knowledge there are two reasons why visibility could be limited.
Heavy Fog: During these times the road is straight and predictable, but elements beyond our control limit our vision. As a leader it’s disheartening when we are unable to charge forward with confidence. This fog can be due to market changes, evolving industry regulations, general economic instabilities or any other elements we are powerless to. In this scenario we have great business plans and our organizational structures and systems are impeccable, but we are restricted to what opportunities these forces afford us.
Sharp Road Bends: There are road signs that indicate upcoming sharp road bends. I find them useful at times. Nothing is more blinding than an unanticipated change in trends and forecasts. Yesterday you could have sworn that your well-researched strategy was the golden ticket. Today it’s as relevant as a child’s scribble on paper. Sometimes as leaders we get too comfortable with our research, knowledge and strategy. We must always be on our toes, learning, adapting, growing, and pruning because we must survive the sudden changes and curve balls if we are to succeed as leaders.
In conclusion, when we are faced with seasons of limited vision, we need to slow down, reevaluate and constantly adapt to the prevailing circumstances.
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