Leadership Chapter 2

As he returns with a hot cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits, he places them on a side table next to me and sits down. Sipping his coffee and leaning back he says, “no one in this company knows you really.” “No they don’t” I respond while wondering where this is going..

“Well if that’s the case”, he continues, “then the impression that anyone has of you in the next 6 months is one that you yourself would have created right?”, he asks. “Yes I guess so”, I respond. “In that case, are you really not in control of the situation?”.

I lean over to grab my cup of tea as I apply my mind to what I’ve just heard. “Why do you use 6 months as the time-frame I ask?” “Because that’s the window that you’re likely to get to make a lasting impression among the people you lead.” “They will either write you off and continue on their own path or respect and follow you”.

Deep in thought, I take a deep breath, sip some tea and speak up.. “Obviously I would prefer the latter but how do I get started? What do I do tomorrow?” I ask.

Laughing at my impatience wanting answers for tomorrow he continues. “You have 70 people looking to you to take them somewhere. Where are you taking them and why should they go anywhere with you”? Now getting confused I lean over and ask “What do you mean where am I taking them”. I’m just a manager not the CEO. Should I be taking them anywhere? Am I not there to manage them and make sure everyone is doing their work”?

“Oh really”? He exclaims.. “just a manager with 70 people”? With this intense sentence, he stands up, goes and grabs a flip chart, puts it in the middle of his living room and writes down the word VISION.. next to it he writes the words “where there is no vision, people perish”

Things just got real!!