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Aspirations fuel growth. In other words, good leaders are motivated by the question: “Who do you want to be when you grow up?”
This week, Melinda and I visited the Ritz Carlton, Dove Mountain Golf Resort, near Tucson, Arizona, on a business trip – we were working on our personal and professional aspirations, and the answer to our “Who do we want to be when we grow up?” question.
Personal Visioning
In leadership coaching and training we use the Personal Visioning Tool to spark aspirational thinking. Here’s how it works: the leader looks back seven years and recalls the significant forces and accomplishments alive in his/her life – joys, challenges, family dynamics, job responsibilities and professional aspirations.
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Then, he/she looks ahead seven years to imagine the significant forces and accomplishments including joys, challenges, family dynamics, job responsibilities and professional aspirations. Typically, the 14-year gap is cathartic, inspiring and motivating!
Both Melinda and I are 52 years old – so we looked back to when we were 45. And then we looked ahead to when we will be 59. Whoa. That’s one year short of the big 6-0. Is that “old?” Nah… but it got my attention. We recalled some of the pain and heartache in looking back, but mostly we celebrated an abundance of positive moments building the momentum we feel in both our personal and professional lives.
Planning Ahead
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Here’s what we know for sure when we look ahead: we intend to grow Good Leadership Enterprises for the next 20 years. And one of our key strategies is producing executive leadership destination retreats. That would mean inviting leaders to fabulous places like the Ritz Carlton, Dove Mountain Golf Resort for several days of inspiring leadership content, and discussions about blending our faith, family, finances, fitness, friends, fun & future into things like golf instruction. The boundaries between our personal and professional lives are already so blurry… why not blend the Seven Fs with an exquisite retreat?
Maybe someday we can own and operate a Good Leadership Institute in a warm and pleasant place during the winter. Now that’s an inspiring vision. We started working on that very thing on our visit to Dove Mountain this week. Doesn’t that sound like fun?!
Good leaders are inspired by a compelling personal vision that fuels their growth. And they commit to growth strategies to make their dreams come true.
Send me a note if you wish to receive a copy of the Personal Visioning Tool – and maybe we can help you paint a compelling personal vision.
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