Survive and thrive, change and challenge, prognosticate and innovate- the deciding factors in the coliseum of business encapsulates in one single idea, visionary leadership.
A visionary leader is someone who can envisage a promising directional change, state a specific goal, and drive the institution towards that goal with proper planning and motivation. If properly observed, it’s evident that major changes in the course of history involved the ideas and actions of visionary leaders.
What draws the line between visionary leadership style and the others?
Leadership styles narrated by psychologist Daniel Goleman consist of six different ideas. It is irrational to specify one style as a superior one because the styles might apply to different situations.
However, the visionary leadership style stands out because of its ease of applicability. While other styles require a certain set of conditions, the visionary leadership style assures maximum involvement and inclusivity with the adequate scope of innovation.
The idea put forth by the leader gives the followers a common goal and allows them to use their own charisma and capabilities more efficiently at the same time.
Traits of a visionary leader
Here are the 10 most significant qualities visionary leaders embody:
- A deep insight into the sector: In order to have a sense of changing trends and how the industry might be functioning in the future, it is essential that a leader has an elaborate idea of the bigger picture of now and the past. An in-depth knowledge will enable better judgment.
- Strategic excellence: Implementation of a goal-oriented agenda will require a precise strategic workflow. A visionary leader has to consistently evaluate the scenario and provide a detailed strategy to get to the destination.
- Strong focus and resilience: A visionary leader can’t afford to lose focus because of momentary failure. Preparing oneself as well as the organization for crucial innovation with determination is a prerequisite.
- Openness to change: A visionary leader needs to have the mentality to embrace changes while needed. The business sector is ever-evolving and quick and smooth transitions avail better opportunities.
- Good communication skills: A visionary leader has to induce the vision into the others. To help them gain a better grasp of the goal and to understand them properly, communicating with perfect tools is something a leader should have under control. The 7 C’s of communication: clear, concise, concrete, correct, coherent, complete, and courteous; are to be kept in mind.
- Ability to inspire: It can be turbulent for others to attempt to change in a specific vision set by the leader. The uncertainty can actively bring the productivity level down. A leader must have the capability to motivate the followers to make the most out of themselves with confidence.
- Emotional Intelligence: In decision making, higher emotional intelligence is rewarded. Managing the workflow with on-point directions involve superior emotional abilities.
- Inclusive and collaborative mind: It takes a team to reach a vision. A leader is to have a mindset of collaborating with likeminded talented individuals for ensuring the best inputs. Inclusivity ensures enough effort and others to have a sense of value, which results in higher motivation and productivity.
- Optimism: Addressing a new vision has its fair share of risk. A leader has to be optimistic no matter how many adversities are projected to be faced.
- Cautiousness about values: Moving towards a goal may involve drastic changes. A leader has to be careful about the organizational values as well as the overall personal values of the other. Strong contradiction with the value of the majority will only create dissatisfaction and a sense of inequity.
Who are the prominent personalities of visionary leadership?
Speaking of this type of leadership, this might be the style that has ensured the growth of human civilization from the beginning. Visionary leadership is not a new phenomenon in the field of business. Behind the most known and most successful businesses, there’s the presence of bight individuals who used this style of leadership.
Business tycoons like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Page, Elon Musk, Michael Dell, Mark Zuckerberg, and many others started and fulfilled their historic visions using this skill.
Henry Ford and the establishment of Ford Motors Corporation is a legendary example in the business world for years. Famous investor Warren Buffet has reaped the benefits as well. Oprah Winfrey has set a blazing example of how visionary leadership can enable one person to reach the peak of success regardless of obstacles.
Why is visionary leadership needed in business?
In this era of globalization, businesses are becoming dynamic. To flourish in the cut-throat competition, businesses need to evolve rapidly. In order to keep up with the global trends and traditions while figuring out ways of efficient innovation, a visionary leader is a must.
A visionary leader can concentrate on future possibilities and define targets that will be beneficial in the long run. The large degree of openness to newer ideas helps them to formulate the best possible strategy that aligns with the core values and future outcomes simultaneously. Providing proper guidance in the diversified field successfully is the essence of visionary leadership.
How to achieve visionary leadership?
It is difficult to come up with to-the-point guidelines to gain this. It is more of a set of skills rather than an individual characteristic. In a broader sense, a few activities can help in cultivating this style of leadership. Such as:
- Study behaviors and techniques of successful leaders.
- Perform constant self-appraisal and analyze the skill set.
- Find skill-gap and reflect on the ones that need to be acquired.
- Conduct persistent training.
- Practice in simulation-based situations and evaluate progress.
Articulated in simple terms, visionary leadership is a quality the world looks forward to. Not only this can facilitate business and the people involved, but it can also help regulate positive externalities in the overall area of concern.
The youth should be the light bearer of the legendary leaders the earthlings have been blessed to have. With the implementation of visionary leadership, it’s only a matter of time when milestones turn into stepping stones for industries willing to prosper.
