by Tammie Pinkston — Past International President

Part Two – Leading with Vision

I have no doubt that you entered your leadership role with big plans — ideas on what you wanted to achieve, both personally and organizationally.  These plans may have changed with this pandemic and call for social justice. 

Maslow’s Need Hierarchy is a great lens through which to view this time. Maslow’s Need Hierarchy represents motivation theory and our ability to stretch and achieve our vision.  Remember, while many of us are typically operating at the affiliation level or beyond, if something shakes our core or impacts our ability to meet more basic needs, we have to ensure those needs are met.  Without that, we have a hard time dreaming – envisioning anything beyond day to day survival. 

Take a moment to refresh your knowledge of Maslow’s Need Hierarchy.  Think about where/why you may be performing at a certain level.  Think about the people you work most closely with. Have you seen a different perspective/attitude from them?  If so, you may consider what they may be experiencing within that same hierarchy of needs. 

It’s no surprise your vision, hopes and dreams, and just as importantly, your motivation to achieve them, may be faltering.  That’s to be expected in these times.  Just remember, the pandemic situation we are in is temporary.  You may need to scale back, recalibrate then redefine in our new “normal.”   However, you decide to adjust, you can’t forget to bring others along.  Once you can clearly see your adjusted vision, you must communicate it.   Others will understand since we are all making adjustments; however, you have to share your rationale and intent. 

Use your voice. Ask yourself, how effectively you are doing this?  Don’t be afraid to ask others for feedback. 

As a leader, you need to inspire others to buy into your vision.  If you scale back or make adjustments, you can still inspire others.  They may be grateful for a change of course, especially if they were feeling pressure or stress given all the other changes that are happening around us. 

Develop short-term goals that will enable you to feel good about what you are able to accomplish.  Define goals that you can achieve on your own in addition to team/workgroup goals.  Break your vision into achievable goals, those that can be accomplished when there are so many constraints around us and those that should be longer term goals that support your vision when some of the current constraints have been removed.

If you keep the lines of communication open, you’ll also know when it’s time to for those stretch goals again. 

Leaders provide cues to others.  They look to you to inform, inspire, initiate and instill a shared course of action.  We’ll talk more about actions in Part Three – Leading with Action.