21 / 76
21
BOX
SCORE
Think like a Leader and Lead like a Thinker
continued from page 19
There are two basic ways to develop
focus: the first is to focus on a
problem to be solved or an obstacle
to overcome. The second is to focus
on an opportunity to be exploited or
an improvement to be made.
Within those two broad categories,
further focus can be given to
personal or professional issues, and
then human or material categories.
Keep in mind that even problem
solving can become an exercise in
positive thinking. Framing is what
makes the difference. For example,
better than thinking about how
to pay your bills (survival mode)
is how to increase your income
(success mode).
4. Record your insights.
I’ve observed that most people have
pretty good ideas. The problem
isn’t a lack of ideas but a lack of
recall. Ideas are fleeting and must
be captured. Some of the biggest
payoffs from thinking will occur
when you review notes of previous
sessions and add to or modify what
you came up with (the outline for
this article was initially done on a
piece of scrap paper in a restaurant
in New York and revised later).
5. Consider how you know
what you know.
Mark Twain said it wasn’t what we
didn’t know that hurt us, but what
we know that just isn’t so.
Thinking should (to paraphrase
Scott Peck) be the pursuit of reality.
To be sound, you should consider
questions like “What do I believe?”,
“How do I know this conclusion
is true?” and “Says who?” Truly
thinking can be somewhat
threatening because it causes us to
reexamine things that we often take
for granted.
Good thinking isn’t just about the
new things we learn but also the
inaccurate things we abandon.
6. Stimulate your brain.
Doug Hall, founder of Eureka Ranch
and creativity guru, believes that
coffee is the ultimate thinking elixir
(and that’s another reason why I
often do my thinking at Starbucks).
Christopher Marlow believed good
conversation was as stimulating as
coffee, and I believe thinking should
be as well. But a cup of java to get
the process started doesn’t hurt.
There are other ways to stimulate
your thinking. Reading outside
your comfort zone is one. Whether
that means reading a book or
magazine that is challenging, or
simply reading a publication from
an unfamiliar genre, the point is to
introduce new concepts and ideas
into your mind. Going over the
same familiar road will take you to
the same familiar places. To reach
an exotic destination requires a
different route.
Mark Sanborn, Leadership Development Expert, is slated to
give a keynote presentation on Thursday, April 25 at the AICC
2013 Spring Meeting.
Mark’s presentation
“Dynamic Leadership”
will discuss how to develop your genuine leadership ability by
understanding that true leadership is not a function of title. He will
provide a blueprint for creating and developing leaders at every level
in your organization. He will also reveal the secrets of extraordinary
individuals who have learned how to reinvent themselves and their
work to create additional value for their customers and colleagues.
Mark will also present an in-depth workshop following the general
session on Thursday, April 25 on “developing new leaders” in your
company as part of the emerging leaders’ workshop track being
offered this spring.
Mark is the president of Sanborn & Associates, Inc., an idea lab for
leadership development.
Leadershipgurus.netlists Mark as one of the
Top 30 leadership experts in the world.
In addition to his experience leading at a local and national level,
Mark has written or co-authored eight books, and is the author
of more than two dozen videos and audio training programs on
leadership, change, teamwork and customer service. He has presented
over 2400 speeches and seminars in every state and a dozen
countries.