Visionary Leaders Are Cautiously Open-Minded
Being a truly effective leader is often quite a challenging Inner visionary endeavor. Not only does it demand a massive time and emotional commitment, as well as having an essential vision that drives one towards successful completion of certain necessary goals, but it also requires someone to be willing to place the needs of others first, and to look at issues and items not simply from one’s own experiences and point of view, but to look at a much broader view point with an open mind, and attempting to avoid preconceived notions or biases. General George S. Patton said, “Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack.”
No individual enters into a leadership position ideally trained and skilled in all the necessities that being an effective leader requires. However, what often differentiates the great leaders from the wannabes is their attitude and their ability to effectively listen to the points of view of others. Many ineffective leaders’ next great idea is whatever the last thing someone has said to them. They jump from position to position, either because of personal weakness, lack of understanding, or the desire to please. When I state that it is important for a great leader to be open- minded, I do not mean that a leader should subjugate his opinion by merely accepting as gospel what someone else says. Great leaders realize that there is a need to listen, and there is a need to question, not simply in order to agree, but as part of the decision making and information gathering process. The truly visionary leader, however, realizes that he must not enter into a decision either personally as a cynic or because he listens to a cynic, but that he must hear all sides in order to make the best informed decision.