The Servant Leader is a visionary. Walt Disney had a Vision to make people happy. Bill Gates wants to see a computer on every desk. George Mallory, in 1924, answered why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, with a simple yet authoritative, “because it is there”. Helen Keller said, “The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but no vision.” Dave Ramsay, in his book EntreLeadership illustrates, “Visions are dreams with more clarity”.
“Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). God gave Moses and his people, estimated to be one million strong, a long term vision of a Promised Land. A land of plenty. A land to live and worship in peace. God also gave his people a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide them toward the Vision.
We are no different today. As individuals, families and teams a future vision is essential. It gives all of us hope during difficult times of stress and a monitor of daily accomplishment.
Haggai says, “Give careful thought to your ways” (1:5) and then “write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it” (Habakkuk 2:2 KJV). To be healthy and survive, your family, business, or church needs a shared view of your future.
Look at your Annual Ministry plan. Do you have a corporate vision? Do you have goals, values, a long term plan, a commitment to the vision throughout your organization. Do you demonstrate continual learning? Are you value driven yet performance oriented? Do you have an inner drive, a depth of vision? Are you pre-wired with a clear vision of your future?
Leadership is a Vision statement that will fit on a T-shirt and be visible on every business card and letterhead.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach