studentlinc

Vision - Give People A Clear Sense Of The Future

The vision thing can often be tricky for student leaders.

Your vision may simply be wanting to do your best. Often, students will tell me their vision is "to have the best year ever."  But what does that mean?

Left on its own, it sounds more like a mission statement.

Anyone stepping into student leadership can say, "I want to have the best year ever." But that statement doesn't say anything unique about your situation, it's not measurable, and it will end up meaning different things to different people.

A vision is simply a picture of where you'd like to end up.

It gives people a sense of the big picture and helps others get a sense of where the group is headed.

For example, Stuart was elected as Senior Class President. At the beginning of the year, Stuart shared his vision with the rest of the council. His vision was for his class to create a park in the middle of campus for students to enjoy. He announced that this would be the Senior Class gift to the school.

As a part of this vision, the other students on the Senior Class Council realized they would need to do more fund raisers, coordinate the plans with the Administration, and begin right away to make this project a possibility.

A vision doesn't have to give all of the details, but it needs to be specific enough that people can figure out what details need to happen.

The idea of a new park in the middle of campus was unique for this class. It was measurable - the class would know if they accomplished the vision or not. Plus, it gave added meaning to all of the other events which preceded it. Fund raisers were more than raising money for the class, they were for getting resources to complete the park.

One of the best ways to communicate a vision is to paint a picture and put your people in it.

Stuart kept holding up the plans for the park and pointing out how he imagined it being used in the future. He told stories of what it would be like for future classes to hold picnics and rallies in the park. He attached the idea of the park to some of the needs of the students: a place to hang out, a quiet place to study outside, a central hub for meeting people on campus. Stuart did a great job helping the team know what success looked like and what they would look like achieving it.

At the end of the year, Stuart's vision for a park became a reality.

EXERCISE:
* What type of project or event can you imagine accomplishing during your student leader year?
* Are there projects that are on-going from past years in which you need to complete a portion of during your student leader year?
* How can you turn your vision into a picture people can see themselves in?

Samuel Smiles, a Scottish author and reformer, wrote, "An intense anticipation itself transforms possibility into reality; our desires being often but precursors of the things which we are capable of performing."

A clear vision provides people with an idea of what is possible.

A vision will point toward a change in the future. A leader must always be willing to see things as they are now so that they can better guess (and often...it's just a guess) what path an organization should take toward the future.  It does a leader and his or her organization no good to create an elaborate plan that has no possibility of succeeding. It's easy to dream...it's more difficult to do. There will always be grand dreams and schemes, but they must be partnered with legitimate strategies and resources in order to achieve them. 

Hope is not a strategy.

Once the year begins and you begin to implement your plans and schemes your tendency will be to begin to live day-to-day. It is easy to lose sight of one's overarching vision.

If you're living from event to event, you will soon be dead in the water. The vision thing often trips up leaders. If you can't see beyond one step ahead, you might need to step aside (harsh but true).  Vision based on what you are capable of today or on just the resources that you currently have at your disposal isn't vision - it's reprioritizing.

Dream big dreams. Connect the potential of your team with the possibilities of the future.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: What kind of vision will you offer those you lead this year?

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: Write your vision in the comments below and see how it feels when you read it.

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Tim Milburn
Developing lifelong leaders one student at a time
www.studentlinc.net

Remarkable Leadership - The One Day Buying Bonanza!

Remarkable. Maybe it isn’t a word or concept you think about very often. (If you don’t you really should.) Remarkable is about making a difference. And you can unleash more of your remarkable potential if you have  tools and a plan. There’s a new book that will help you do that. Remarkable  Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a  Time is the latest book from Kevin Eikenberry, and it is outstanding. You may be thinking, that is a leadership book.  If you are, you are right. Even if you  aren’t, that’s OK because the book isn’t just a leadership book. It is a handbook to help you on your personal road towards remarkable. You see, as we become better leaders, we become better humans – coming  closer to the potential within ourselves. Jack Canfield of Chicken Soup  and The Success Principles fame wrote  the foreword of the book and says, "Kevin accurately reminds us that whatever our job  title or position, we are all leaders—and all have the potential to become  truly remarkable. His belief in us and our ultimate success is real and can be  read on every page. This belief is inspiring and empowering—as you read these  pages his belief in you will build your own belief, an important ingredient in  any successful learning journey." Kevin says that his goal is to “help you become a Remarkable Leader by  unleashing the leadership potential that is already inside you.” This is a book that is practical,  inspiring, relevant and real. And today, when you buy a copy you can get more than 50 tools and  gifts from Kevin’s network of experts from around the world – me included - gifts  that make purchasing the book a very easy decision. And if you buy multiple copies – like one for your boss and others you  know – Kevin is offering some even better gifts to you – you definitely will  want to check it out! You can learn more about the book and the special offers if you buy  online today. You wouldn’t be getting this email from me if I didn’t believe in  Kevin and this book – it is a book that, if you apply it, it will change your  results and life in a remarkable way. Still not convinced?  Here are some  comments from people who have already read this book: "An    important book that combines profound simplicity with practical instructions    for leadership greatness.  Buy two copies--one for your desk and    one for your bedside.  Its poignant lessons will bear    fruit at work and at home." - Chip R. Bell, Author of Customer    Loyalty Guaranteed "What    is so remarkable about Remarkable Leadership is that Kevin has found that the    key to being a great leader doesn’t have to come with being a remarkable    person.  His book can take the ordinary and human in all of us and help    us meld ourselves into remarkable leaders.  His book invites all of us    to find what kind of leader we can truly be." - Rusty Rueff, CEO, SNOCAP, Inc "The    best measurement of success is the number of choices available to you. Kevin    Eikenberry in this book infinitely increases those choices for you. Choose to    devour this book. It's Brilliant!" - Jim Canterucci, Author of Personal Brilliance This book is about helping you take action to achieve Remarkable  results.  To take action requires that  you be decisive. Now is one of those times to be decisive.  Do yourself a favor and buy this book today – and  reap gifts and tools as an amazing bonus. <Insert your name and signature> p.s.  When you place your order  you are less than two minutes away from taking advantage of all of these bonuses! p.s.s.  Still not  convinced?  Watch this short movie.  I’ll bet it  makes you smile.

TOMORROW is a REMARKABLE opportunity

Dear STUDENTLINC Reader!

My colleague Kevin Eikenberry has written  a new book on leadership.  It’s called Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your  Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time.

And while there are 164 new business  books coming out in the next 30 days, this one is different.

This book is practical, inspiring, relevant and real.

It helps you work on 13 leadership competencies, as the title says,  one skill at time.

And while it is a leadership book, and will help anyone regardless of their leadership experience become more effective, it isn’t just for leaders.

This is a book for all of us, because all of us are leaders.  And  as Kevin says in the book, when we become better leaders, we become better  humans.

I’d recommend this book to you any time, but never more urgently than  tomorrow!

Because if you buy the book tomorrow, you will receive more than 50 tools and bonuses from Kevin’s expert colleagues from around the world that all will help you become a more remarkable leader.

All of these tools are yours just for buying the book tomorrow - Wednesday, August 22.  And while you will have wait for your book to arrive, these other tools are available right now (sometimes it pays to be impatient).

I could say more, but this  page says it all.

The only other thing I have to say is, get ready to buy your copy tomorrow!

You are REMARKABLE!

Tim Milburn
Developing Lifelong Leaders One Student At A Time
www.studentlinc.net

p.s.s.  Still not  convinced?  Watch this short movie.  I’ll bet it  makes you smile and know that you need this book.

Transformers

...is a GREAT movie! Really!

I sat on the edge of my seat as I watched giant robots kick the crap out of each other. What a ride!!

The special effects BLEW me away. Everything looked real.
Real big. Real fast. Real loud.

As we left the theater, my kids got into the truck and said, "Wouldn't it be cool if your truck was a Transformer?"

You betcha.

Transformers appear as ordinary vehicles, planes, helicopters. But when duty calls, they twist, turn, cavort, and unravel into militaristic machines capable of unleashing havoc.

Leadership calls on us to transform. It requires us to change and maneuver within an organization in order to unleash it's potential for success.

Consider the following ways leaders must transform themselves and their organizations:

1. Those who lead must transform from a follower into a person worth following.

2. Those who lead must transform an idea into a plan into an action.

3. Those who lead must transform from doing the job themselves into doing the job through others.

4. Those who lead must transform potential leaders into engaged leaders.

5. Those who lead must transform a group of individuals into a team of partners.

6. Those who lead must transform a failure into a lesson learned that moves a person or organization toward success in the future.

7. Those who lead must transform the culture to reflect the mission, purpose, and values of the organization.

Can you think of some more?

Leadership is necessary because people and organizations are always needing to change and grow in order to remain relevant and successful.

The need to change surprises some people. At the beginning of the movie, nobody expects a car or truck or plane to transform into a big, scary robot.

People are often surprised when a leader pushes them, or a system, or a process, or an organization to move towards change. But transformation is necessary for survival.

In the theme song for the Transformers, the first line says, "Transformers! More than meets the eye!"

People can't always see the value of a certain change. That's why we need leaders who will show people why the transformations they are going through are important. And not only important...but necessary to get to the next level.

Leaders who will get people to buy in.
Leaders who will get people to jump on board.
Leaders who will get people involved.
Leaders who will get people to own the transformation themselves.

Inspired to be a transformer? Watch the preview for the movie!

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: What is an area that needs to be transformed through your leadership?

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: Who is your favorite transformer robot?

: : : :

Tim Milburn
Developing Lifelong Leaders One Student At A Time
www.studentlinc.net

Finding Your Rhythm

Have you ever been listening to a band playing "live" music and felt like something didn't sound right? The band members were playing the right notes, but there was a certain tension that the music caused.

All of a sudden you realized the band WASN'T playing with the beat of the drummer. Or maybe it was the drummer who wasn't playing with the beat of the band.

It made everything sound a bit off.

In life we call that "being out of sync."

It happens to me when I'm tired.
It happens to me when I lose focus.
It happens to me when I can't figure out how to connect.

Just a step or two behind...and it messes everything up.

A quick personal note (translated: digression!): I've been a little absent from studentlinc for the past couple of months because I found myself a bit out of sync. I needed to spend more time with my family and the summer months provide that opportunity. During that time, my internal drummer and I had a good talk. It feels like I'm getting my rhythm back!

One thing I've noticed when a band is playing out of sync -- playing harder or louder or with greater passion or with artistic flair doesn't make it any better.

When you get out of sync, you've got to listen.

Listen to the voices around you.
Listen to the voices inside you.
Listen to the voices you trust.

I've found that listening helps me better identify where I can best invest my time...my energies...my life.

When I'm in sync everything else sounds better.

One more thing. I'm about to lay an Elvis Presley quote on you. I don't believe I've ever quoted Elvis before. So this is a first.

“Rhythm is something you either have or don't have, but when you have it, you have it all over.”
- Elvis Presley

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: How can you tell when you're out of sync?

SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT: What's your favorite Elvis Presley quote?

: : : :

Tim Milburn
Developing Lifelong Leaders One Student At A Time
www.studentlinc.net