#003: The Relationship Between Vision and Productivity [Podcast]

In this podcast episode I talk about the relationship between vision and productivity. I share the story of becoming a divisional leader at Thomas Nelson. Better productivity would not have improved our operating results. We needed a better vision.

Episode 003 - Blog Post Art

Click to Listen

Play

Episode Outline

I discuss how any leader can develop vision by following these seven steps:

Why Vision Is More Important Than Strategy

Vision and strategy are both important. But there is a priority to them. Vision always comes first. Always. If you have a clear vision, you will eventually attract the right strategy. If you don’t have a clear vision, no strategy will save you.

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/MAEK123, Image #2813602

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/MAEK123

I have seen this over and over again in my professional and personal life. Once I got clear on what I wanted, the how almost took care of itself. Let me give you an example.

Five Leadership Lessons from Steve Jobs

This is a guest post by Tor Constantino. He is a former journalist, has an MBA, and works in public relations where he has directly reported to several CEOs in his career. He lives near Washington, D.C. with his wife and two daughters. You can read his blog and follow him on Twitter.

Whether you’re a “Mac or PC,” the recent passing of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs at the age of fifty-six from pancreatic cancer provides a salient moment of reflection for any organizational leader.

Steve Jobs Introducing the new iPod - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/EdStock, Image #16850262

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/EdStock

Jobs’ legacy and impact on the world is likely to stretch far into the future compared to the brief thirty-five years of his professional career, which took seed in his family’s garage when the idea of Apple was planted with Stephen Wozniak in 1976.

An Interview with Dan Cathy [Video]

Several weeks ago, I had the privilege of hosting the Chick-fil-A Leadercast Backstage program. I interviewed several notable authors as they came off the stage, including John Maxwell, Seth Godin, Sir Ken Robinson, Dan Cathy, Suzy Welch, Frans Johansson, and several others. I thought I would share these with you over the next several weeks.

In this interview, I talk to Dan Cathy, President and COO of Chick-fil-A. He is the son of S. Truett Cathy, who founded the company in 1946. I met Dan a few years ago, and we had immediate rapport. We shared the same values and interest in leadership. He embodies Chick-fil-A’s customer-centric business model. He has since become a friend and mentor.

As I interviewed him, we talked about several topics, including:

Working for a Bigger Purpose

This is a guest post by Jon Gordon. He is a sought-after speaker and the author of The Energy Bus, Soup, and his latest release The Seed: Finding Purpose and Happiness in Life and Work. Please visit the book’s website to learn more and for a details on a special offer. You can read his blog and follow him on Twitter. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

What if work wasn’t just work? What if work was a vehicle to live and share a bigger purpose?

A Man Standing on a Pinnacle - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/vernonwiley, Image #7112779

I believe there’s a flawed perception in our society that in order to live a life of purpose we have to leave our jobs and go solve world hunger, feed the homeless, move to Africa, or start a charity.

Find Your Passion in Three Steps

This is a guest post by Mary DeMuth. She is an author, speaker and book mentor. She has published ten books, including her most recent, 150 Quick Questions to Get Your Kids Talking. You can follow her on Twitter and Facebook. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

As a book mentor, I’ve read plenty of passionless prose. And as a fellow pilgrim, I’ve listened to many people who shyly look away when I ask them what their passion is. Why is that? I have a hunch that many of us have a hard time identifying our passion. Why? Several reasons:

A Man Rock Climbing a Huge Boulder - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/vernonwiley, Image #15344162

  • Our insecurities define us more than our hidden, suppressed dreams.
  • We are afraid to boast.
  • We see the vastness of the world and feel insignificant or overwhelmed to make a difference.

Take Your Organization to the Next Level

People with dreams are a dime a dozen. I meet them all the time. So do you. Some even start organizations. But few ever have the impact they initially hoped for. They just can’t seem to get their project to the next level.

Goldfish Jumping from a Small Bowl to a Large One - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/mikdam, Image #5754119

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/mikdam

Enter Praxis, a new non-profit organization set up to help social entrepreneurs build high-impact organizations. What does the name mean? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, praxis is the practical application of a theory.

No, I Have Not Retired

This has been an incredibly busy week. On Monday, I announced that I was stepping out of active management and turning over the CEO reins of Thomas Nelson to Mark Schoenwald.

White Sails of a Yacht Billowing in the Wind - Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/nikitje, Image #14618329

Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.com/nikitje

On Tuesday, Mark and I flew to Dallas to make the announcement to our Live Events team. That afternoon, I flew to Chicago and, on Wednesday, I attended a board meeting for a nonprofit ministry I support. On Thursday, I packed up my office at Thomas Nelson. On Friday, Gail and I began setting up my home office.

The Future Is Coming Faster Than You Think

My friend and colleague, Mary Graham, brought this concept video about the future to my attention. It is produced by Corning Glass. It shows what is possible in the near-future. It is worth taking five minutes to watch this.

In my role at Thomas Nelson, I have had the privilege of seeing some amazing technology. This one from Corning is similar to others I have seen from Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard. The future is coming faster than you think. Personally, this kind of stuff gets me excited.

An Interview with Jenna Lucado

Jenna Lucado is the daughter of my dear friend and bestselling author Max Lucado. She is the co-author of You Were Made to Make a Difference, along with her dad. She is also one of the main speakers at Revolve, a conference for teenage girls. In a moment, I will tell you how to get a $10.00 discount on a Revolve ticket.

Jenna Lucado

I have known Jenna for several years. Gail and I traveled with her and her husband, Brett, to Ethiopia. It has been fun watching her come into her own as a communicator. In fact, the first time I heard her speak, I was sitting next to Max. Five minutes into her talk, I leaned over to him and whispered, “Wow. She is better than you!” Without missing a beat, he laughed and replied, “I know. She is!”

Page 1 of 3123»

©2012 Michael Hyatt, Powered by Standard Theme

Want to know how to get published? Check out this step-by-step guide. Click here!