Define the Future: Manage for a World of Change-Why Leading Toward the Future Is Imperative to Becoming a Great Boss

By: Kent Lineback and Linda A. Hill

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Synopsis: Do you and the people you lead know where you're going? Have you defined a clear purpose and the goals you must achieve along the way? Do you keep your purpose and goals constantly in mind as you carry out your everyday work? Leading toward the future is a key part of being a great boss, but many bosses admit that they are simply carried along by events, allowing the pressures of today to trump the needs of tomorrow. In this chapter, authors Linda Hill and Kent Lineback explain why you, as a manager, must prepare for the future, because it will inevitably be different from today. They describe the benefits of defining where you're going-for example, it imbues your work with purpose, fosters commitment, reduces conflict, and helps you and your team deal with unforeseen change. The chapter also includes a discussion of written and unwritten plans, including easy-to-follow steps for creating a plan and a list of key questions to ask yourself in the process. The chapter concludes with a section about how you-as a great boss-can guide your group through difficult change. This chapter was originally published as Chapter 8 of "Being the Boss: The 3 Imperatives for Becoming a Great Leader."