WE LOVE SPRING! IT IS A TIME OF YEAR THAT IS ALWAYS FULL OF HOPE AND ANTICIPATION. AFTER THE LONG, COLD WINTER, EVERYTHING SEEMS POSSIBLE. THE EXCITEMENT OF WHAT'S TO COME EVEN HAS CHICAGO CUBS FANS WONDERING, "...MAYBE THIS COULD BE THE YEAR!" (REALLY?)

ONE OF THE BIGGEST ROLES OF LEADERSHIP IS THE ABILITY TO CREATE VISION OR PURPOSE. IN SETTING THIS VISION, YOU GIVE THE ORGANIZATION A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE THAT YOU SEE.  IT SHOULD INSPIRE THE TEAM.  EVEN IF A TEAM OR COMPANY IS GOING THROUGH (OR PREPARING TO GO THROUGH) SOME DIFFICULT TIMES, THE LEADER NEEDS TO SEE A CLEAR PICTURE OF GROWTH- GROWTH FOR EVERY PERSON AND FOR THE BUSINESS.  WITHOUT THIS CLARITY, PEOPLE CAN GET BOGGED DOWN WITH WHAT IS GOING WRONG TODAY OR HOW DIFFICULT THE CURRENT SITUATION IS. ULTIMATELY, THIS LEADS TO EVERYONE LOSING HOPE.

OF COURSE, ONCE A VISION IS DEFINED, IT IS THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP TO BRING IT ALIVE IN EACH PERSON ON THE TEAM.  I'M TALKING ABOUT EVERYONE FROM THE DOOR MAN TO THE GENERAL MANAGER!  EVERY ONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO STATE THE “WHAT” OR PURPOSE OF WHAT BUSINESS WE REALLY ARE IN.  HAVING THIS EMBEDDED OWNERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION WILL BRING THE PURPOSE TO LIFE AT THE POINT OF THE GUEST.

DEFINING THE "WHAT" COMPANY-WIDE IS IMPORTANT. HOWEVER, WITHOUT EMBRACING THE “WHY," YOU'LL NEVER GET THE TEAM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE. YOU WILL HAVE CREATED AN "OUTSIDE-IN" UNDERSTANDING. THAT PHRASE IS A GREAT ONE FOR ME TO EXPLAIN- "OUTSIDE-IN." A TEAM OR PERSON THAT IS "OUTSIDE-IN" RELIES ON THE EXTERNAL BENEFITS, THE BELLS AND WHISTLES, TO VALIDATE THEIR INNER GOALS OR PURSUITS. HOWEVER, ONCE THE EXTERNAL MOTIVATION IS GONE, SO TOO IS THE PASSION TO OWN THE PURPOSE. IT'S AN ILLUSION. A SIREN CALLING TO THE SHIPS.

AS AN "INSIDE-OUT" LEADER, YOU ARE INSPIRING YOUR TEAM WITH THE CLARITY OF HOPE. YOU'RE NOT PROMISING PERFECTION OR AN EXPECTATION THAT THERE WON'T BE SOME MISTAKES ALONG THE WAY, BUT YOU'RE BUILDING THE ANTICIPATION THAT THEY WILL BE A PART OF A WINNING TEAM THAT IS UNIFIED BY PURPOSE.

IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, THE FRIDAY BEFORE EASTER IS CALLED “GOOD FRIDAY." CHRISTIANS DON'T REFER TO THAT DAY AS "GOOD" BECAUSE THEY SEE THE EVENTS OF THAT DAY AS PARTICULARLY GOOD OR HAPPY. HOWEVER, BELIEVERS RECOGNIZE THAT THE EVENTS OF THAT DAY WERE PIVOTAL IN SETTING UP THE SUCCESS THAT HAPPENED ON EASTER SUNDAY. THE RISING UP!  THAT IS THE FOCUS. THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

AND, ADMITTEDLY, WHEN YOU'RE LEADING A TEAM, GETTING EVERYONE TO SEE THAT TINY SPECK OF LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL IS NOT EASY. THERE ARE DAYS WHEN YOU WANT TO TAKE A BREAK AND REST FROM THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CREATING THAT VISION. YOU WANT TO TAKE YOUR EYE OFF OF THE PRIZE AND JUST COAST FOR A MINUTE. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY HUMAN! AND MAINTAINING YOUR FOCUS WHEN YOU JUST WANT TO GO ON AUTO-PILOT IS TOUGH! BUT THAT’S WHY SO FEW CAN MAKE THAT JOURNEY FROM GOOD TO GREAT.

JIM COLLINS, IN HIS BOOK “GOOD TO GREAT," TALKS ABOUT "THE STOCKDALE PARADOX"-- THE BATTLE OF KEEPING HOPE ALIVE WHILE TRULY FACING THE REALITY OF THE CURRENT SITUATION.  HE WRITES THAT, DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, AN ADMIRAL NAMED STOCKDALE STAYED ALIVE BY FINDING A BALANCE OF HOPE AND REALITY. STOCKDALE REPORTED THAT SOME OF THOSE THAT DIDN'T MAKE IT OUT ALIVE OF NORTH VIETNAM DIED OF A BROKEN HEART. THEIR WILL TO BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY GO HOME WAS OVERTAKEN BY THEIR CURRENT SITUATION AND HORRIBLE CONDITIONS THAT THEY WERE KEPT IN.

SO, AS THE FLOWERS BEGIN TO BLOOM, AS THE TREES SPROUT THEIR LEAVES, AND AS BIRDS GATHER TO SING THEIR SONGS, HOPE DOES SPRING ETERNAL. EACH SPRING WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFRAME “OUR” PICTURE.

WHAT DOES THE PICTURE LOOK LIKE TO THOSE THAT LOOK TO YOU FOR LEADERSHIP? IS IT A PRETTY PICTURE? A "GOOD" PICTURE? IF NOT, OH BOY, IT'S TIME TO HELP EVERYONE SEE JUST HOW "GOOD" IT IS. HOW GREAT IT CAN BE!

AND, WHAT THE HECK, MAYBE THIS IS THE YEAR THE CUBS WIN IT ALL!

SPRING FORWARD!