Do You Have A Teddy Roosevelt-Like Leader’s Vision Perspective?
Follow the Leader
A great leader has followers. People who stand by your side. People who embrace your vision. They will step in when you step out. You trust them, and they act in alliance with the organization’s – and your – mission.
Leadership is Influence
John Maxwell puts it simply: “Leadership is influence.” He often cites the leadership proverb, “He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.”
Teddy
The 26th President of the United States, Theodore (“Teddy”) Roosevelt was one such visionary leader. President Roosevelt became the second youngest U.S. President at age 42, following roles as Vice-President, Governor of New York, New York State Assembly Representative, Assistant U.S. Navy Secretary, New York City Police Commissioner, working in the Dakota Territory, and graduating from Harvard University and Columbia University Law School.
“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” Theodore Roosevelt
Although his record is very impressive, Teddy faced his challenges as well. While enrolled at Harvard his father died. Both his mother and first wife passed away on the same day – February 14, 1884. To channel his grief he became more driven and used these tragedies to propel him to even higher levels of success.
Among his many accomplishments and visionary acts, Mr. Roosevelt won the Nobel Prize, was instrumental in completion of the Panama Canal, supported women’s and other civil rights actions, and signed the National Moments Act, protecting sites like the Grand Canyon and other natural resources and beautiful sites.
“People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. The leader leads, and the boss drives.” Theodore Roosevelt
Leaders Have Followers
What made Teddy Roosevelt a strong leader? He had followers. He created a vision in each of his roles, challenged and influenced people and his team, effectively and passionately communicated his vision, surrounded himself with people who shared his vision and mission, and had a “can-do” attitude.
Do you have a leader’s vision perspective like President Roosevelt?
Leader’s Vision Perspective
Your team will not follow you without a clear direction of where you are going. You must be in front, sharing your insight and purpose, serving as an authentic role model, taking on risks and being innovative, and competently coaching your team and developing upcoming leaders under you. (This will be a deeper discussion in an upcoming post.)
“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell ‘em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” Theodore Roosevelt
Ask Yourself the Following…
To create the leader’s vision perspective, ask yourself and reflect on the following:
- Do you know and follow your organization’s mission?
- How well do you express and embrace your organization’s mission with your team?
- What do you believe are your leadership strengths?
- What are your long-term (3-5 year) goals for your team? For you?
- What immediate goals (6 month – 2 year) goals need to be accomplished?
- Do you have a can-do attitude to get the job done?
- Are all team members valued and do they feel like an important member of the team?
- Do you provide training and coaching that sets the stage for success with your team?
- How do you challenge your team to succeed? Do you celebrate your team member’s successes?
- Do you have a plan to stretch team members and support their growth?
These ten questions provide a starting point to help organize your intention, define your leader’s vision perspective, and set the stage to be a successful leader.
“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5 New Living Translation (NLT)
Once you answer the above, design the vision in a succinct, descriptive fashion that makes sense to all team members. Now embrace this leader’s perspective vision, share it with your team, and live it out each day in each way in all that you do.
Think back on Teddy Roosevelt’s accomplishments. Do you think he did this without a leader’s vision perspective? Absolutely not! He knew he couldn’t do it without a vision, and without a strong team to get the job done. You too can accomplish all you desire with this same outlook.
When leader’s lead with a leader’s vision perspective, you have followers, your people stand by your side, and your team embraces your vision. They will step in when you step out. You do trust them, and they act in alliance with the organization’s – and your – mission.
Find out more how Peak Career & Success Coaching can help you develop a leader’s vision perspective today: https://PeakLeadershipSuccess.com/contact/ or email at: bill@PeakLeadershipSuccess.com