Leadership is Foresight - Greenleaf Pt 7

Robert Greenleaf describes servant leadership in terms of ten characteristics. The past six blogs have addressed the first half dozen of Greenleaf's descriptors. Number seven in his list is the concept of Foresight.

Foresight is closely akin to the idea of conceptualization, the subject of my last blog. Foresight results when a leader understands the lessons from the past, obtains reliable insights into the present, and casts solid possibilities into the future. Foresight thinks in abstract channels and is deeply rooted in intuition. Consequently it is most difficult to analyze or codify foresight. Foresight often defies a logical formula or a ten-step process.

The Terra Nova Expedition (1910–1913) was officially called the British Antarctic Expedition 1910. The expedition was led by Robert Scott embracing the objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole. Scott and four companions reached their goal on January 17, 1912, only to find that a Norwegian team led by Roald Amundsen had beat them to the pole by 33 days. Sadly, because of poor planning and inadequate preparations, Scott's entire party died on the return journey from the pole. Some of the their bodies, journals, and photographs were discovered by a search party some eight months later. This fascinating story is a great example of foresight (or lack thereof). This tragic race to the South Pole is worthy of investigation into the leadership provided by both Scott and Amundsen. I will leave this subject to your future inquiry.

Because foresight involves the past, present and future, I believe that there are skills that can be developed in all three of these areas that can increase the leader's ability to develop this characteristic. First, let's think about the past. A good leader is a scholar who carefully examines the past. Analyzing the historical trends of one's organization (and one's competitors) can provide significant insights into creative future decisions. Knowing what has been tried, what has worked, and what has bombed allows a leader to see reality in depth of awareness. Observing the attempts of the past can illuminate a different path, previously untraveled. Studying the minds of predecessors can lead innovators to a deeper level of ideation. An effective leader can study the past in order to make wise decisions in the future.

The present is the only time that a leader can make a decision. Past decisions must be lived with, future decisions are only a dream, but the now is the time frame for change. Foresight in the present involves applying wisdom to contemporary life. For the Christian leader, foresight involves a discernment that comes from the Spirit of God. As Paul shares in Galatians 5:25, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." I think that this is present-time foresight... not running ahead of the Spirit, nor lagging behind His pace, but staying in step; staying in tune; staying sensitive to the Spirit's direction.

The future is the context that proves the amount of foresight that a leader truly possesses. A leader can make a bold statement of prediction or confidence; but when action has been taken and results become known, then the foresight can be clearly seen. Following the leader can lead to success, and profit, and fresh air; or it can lead to miscalculations, and loss, and stagnation. When a leader stands and proclaims, "come and follow me," it is the foresight of the leader that validates his/her vision. Scott or Amundsen.... who had the foresight? Who would you want to follow?

Photo of Scott Statue found at
http://homepage.mac.com/lheringer/NewZealand/page17.html