One of the most critical foundations for productive learning and leadership excellence is understanding and accepting reality. Not what we wish, not what we hope for or what we want to believe. It is truly amazing how many leaders do not clearly understand reality. Or staunchly refuse to believe and accept reality.
In the end these leaders, due to their own choices, suffer incalculable loses—including past, present and future.
Correctly perceiving and properly relating to true reality is far more elusive than most people think. Each and every human, which includes all leaders, are significantly, and in most cases permanently marked and dramatically affected and influenced by the circumstances of their early childhood and youth. In fact, each of our specific life-journeys powerfully paints and taints our senses and perceptions through which each of us see the world, and what each call “reality.”
In his recently published book titled Sometimes You Win – Sometimes You Learn, John Maxwell devotes an entire chapter to discussing this critically important topic. I recommend you read it.
Maxwell ends the chapter writing:
“You create opportunities by looking trouble in the eye and performing, not looking away and pretending. If you want to learn, you must build your problem solving, your planning, and your performance [and your leadership] on a solid foundation. Reality is the only thing that won’t crumble under the weight of those things.”
Frequently check reality with those you trust, admire, respect and lead—and those who will tell you the truth. If done correctly and if you listen carefully, frequently checking reality in all areas of your life, will result in consistent measurable improvements in your efforts and journey toward becoming a better leader.
