Leaders often prioritise immediate results, but visionary leadership requires balancing short-term gains with long-term strategy. This involves embracing flexibility, empowering teams, and fostering innovation. By shifting focus from daily operations to strategic planning and external trends, leaders can drive both immediate success and sustainable growth in a rapidly changing business landscape.
When Sarah, a former client, was promoted to VP of Product Innovation at a cyber security firm, she embarked on a mission to prove herself. With a well-crafted 30-60-90-day onboarding transition plan, she aimed to quickly familiarise herself with her new team and make a tangible impact on the group’s strategy and direction. She expressed her desire to revamp the organisation’s projects, enhance the group’s capabilities, and shift their focus towards tangible results. Sarah wanted to deliver visible results before year-end, solidifying her reputation as an effective leader who can make an impact and turn around the trajectory of the business.
While some executives in the C-Suite embraced her approach, others believed the company required more than incremental change. They recognised that the rapid advancements in AI and technology demanded a proactive approach – uncovering new opportunities for growth, exploring untapped vertical channels, and identifying ways to “leap-frog” ahead of the competition. They desired transformational change.
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things,” said Peter Drucker, commonly known as the “Father of Management.” As a leader, it is critical to strike a balance between short-term results and long-term success. However, many organisations and work cultures often prioritise and reward immediate outcomes – the “what have you done for me lately” mentality. Consistently generating results helps you remain top of mind and on the shortlist for recognition, opportunities, and promotions.
Yet, true visionary leadership entails making trade-offs between short-term gains and long-term growth. Visionary leaders navigate uncertainty, think strategically, and connect the dots for transformative growth. They inspire others to embark on a change journey toward long-term success. You must shift your mindset from the “What is?” to “What if?”1 You are able to envision possibilities that others overlook – a future characterised by new strategies and corporate culture that seamlessly integrates business trends, innovation, and emerging capabilities, ensuring the organisation thrives amid an evolving business landscape.
Becoming a visionary leader can serve as the catalyst that helps you stand out and secure your long-term success. However, we know that leaders don’t often have the luxury of time to achieve their vision, as highlighted by a Korn Ferry Study2 revealing that higher-level positions tend to have shorter tenures. Thus, embracing visionary leadership becomes a strategic bet on one’s career and future accomplishments.
If you find yourself struggling to embody this leadership style, it is crucial first to reflect and understand the underlying reasons. Only then can you actively work on developing this invaluable skill set.
Why Being Visionary Doesn’t Come Easy
Before you can improve, it’s critical to reflect on why being a visionary doesn’t come naturally to you. Here are some common reasons we’ve seen among leaders we’ve worked with.
1. Do you have a control-oriented style of leadership?
Many individuals who are driven by immediate results often exhibit a control-oriented3 style of leadership. They prefer to maintain a firm grip on every aspect of their projects and teams. This approach can hinder them from establishing a clear vision by stifling creativity and innovation. This is especially detrimental in fast-moving growth industries where technology, AI and data rapidly evolve.
In Sarah’s case, she had been asked to lead a new function. She needed to transition into a learning mode4, recognising that her role no longer required specialised expertise but, instead, demanded setting the vision for growth. To do this, you need to empower your team, delegate authority, and place trust in others to execute your vision. If you struggle to let go of control, you may encounter challenges in achieving this mindset.
2. Are you unable to scale your leadership?
If you discover that you are personally involved in every decision, insist on approving every project, and demand that your team meticulously present and defend their perspectives for even the smallest tasks, you may inadvertently be obstructing your organisation’s forward momentum. As a visionary leader, you must build the capacity to extend your influence and address long-term strategic objectives.
Often, an oversized ego or a hero mentality can significantly impede your ability to cultivate visionary leadership. For example, Sarah didn’t yet trust her new team to execute her strategies, so she took on a lot of the work herself. However, it’s vital to recognise that delegation is a cornerstone of leadership. By doing so, you can free yourself from the burden of micromanagement and empower your team to contribute to the broader vision, enabling your organisation’s progress towards its long-term strategic goals. Scaling your leadership is about shouldering increased responsibilities for the greater good and empowering others to embrace and achieve the shared vision and strategic objectives.
3. Are you more focused on the operations vs strategy?
Leaders driven by immediate results often become consumed by day-to-day operations and short-term goals. While the importance of operational efficiency cannot be overstated, visionary leadership calls for a shift in focus towards long-term strategy and comprehensive planning.
To embark on a journey towards visionary leadership, it is essential to dedicate time to contemplating the future, recognise novel opportunities, and design a roadmap for transformative growth. This planful and proactive approach will yield tangible opportunities, including designing multiple planning5 options, building long-term team capabilities, forging key strategic external partnerships and charting a course for strategic change and growth. Leaders who remain solely focused on the present can miss out on visionary possibilities.
Second, Determine How to Reposition Yourself as a Visionary.
Repositioning yourself requires a deliberate shift in mindset, behaviour, and actions. Here are some ways to get started:
1. Be an empowering leader.
To become a visionary leader, you must learn to delegate effectively and empower your team to problem-solve without you. Trust your team’s capabilities and empower them to make decisions and take ownership of their projects. By doing so, you free up your time to focus on long-term strategy and innovation, rather than getting bogged down in the day-to-day details. Whether you are joining a new group like Sarah or being promoted to take on larger responsibility, start by understanding the roles and responsibilities of your team. Plan to increase your team’s autonomy, providing guidance and support when needed.
2. Balance short-term and long-term.
It’s essential to strike a balance between short-term commercial goals and long-term strategic vision. Allocate dedicated time for strategic thinking and planning. Set aside regular sessions for brainstorming, scenario analysis, and future-focused discussions as this will create a habit for you to sit in your thoughts and achieve flow6 making it a priority to explore emerging trends, technologies, and potential disruptors in your industry. By allocating time for both immediate tasks and future planning, you can effectively play the long game while delivering short-term results.
3. Be externally focused.
Shift your focus from internal dynamics to external factors that influence your industry and market. Spend time networking, attending industry events, and engaging with thought leaders. Encourage your team to do the same within their scope. By understanding external trends and customer needs, you can anticipate changes, identify growth opportunities, and adapt your strategy accordingly. Look for ways to connect with customers, partners, and competitors to gain insights that inform your vision.
4. Embrace uncertainty and change.
Embrace the discomfort of change and encourage a culture of innovation within your team or organisation. Remember that it all starts with you. As Jeff Dyer, Hal Gregersen, and Clayton M. Christensen wrote, “As we come to define ourselves as creative, we change our behaviors and we can actually become more creative.” Sarah faced this challenge. She had gotten to where she was by her relentless delivery of results. Now, she was being asked to focus on breakthrough innovation that could create a new vertical and step-change growth.
Through coaching, Sarah started to shift her focus on the long-term growth opportunities and designing the organisation structure, process, and capabilities that could drive breakthrough innovation. She redefined what success and winning meant for herself and her teams. By asking more open-ended questions, taking calculated risks, and embracing her new identity as an innovator, she started to create an environment where new ideas could flourish. When you foster a culture of innovation, you must create platforms for idea-sharing, provide resources for experimentation, and celebrate and recognise innovative initiatives and successes. This way you are motivating and rewarding your team for the right behaviours and innovative thinking.
Third, Take Action
Once you have repositioned yourself as a visionary leader, it is crucial to take action to bring your new identity to life. Here are some effective strategies to help you get started:
1. Lead the way.
To be visionary, you must ignite inspiration and earn the trust of the employees you are looking to lead. Leading by example means embodying the qualities and behaviours you want others to emulate. Align your actions with your vision and values. Paint a vivid picture of the desired culture and mindset. Let authenticity and integrity guide your decisions and actions. When you consistently act in alignment with your vision, you build trust among your team and stakeholders, inspiring others to follow suit. Show them what it means to lead with integrity, empathy, and resilience. Your actions will speak volumes, fostering a culture of trust, respect, and accountability.
2. Seek diverse perspectives.
Actively seek out diverse perspectives7 and opinions from your team and stakeholders. Encourage open dialogue, active listening, and constructive feedback to foster an inclusive environment that values different viewpoints. Steve Jobs said it best, “Creativity is just connecting things…The broader one’s understanding of the human experience, the better design we will have.” Practise transparency and communicate across all levels to create an open system. In addition, bring in new external perspectives, such as inspirational speakers or explore coaches to help your team break from old patterns and develop the skills needed for the long-term success of the organisation.
3. Become agile and adaptable.
Embrace flexibility and adaptability to navigate changing circumstances and seize new opportunities. Encourage a mindset of continuous improvement and learning, allowing for adjustments in strategies as needed. Recognise that being a visionary leader is an ongoing journey, requiring continuous assessment and adaptation of strategies in response to changing circumstances and evolving market dynamics.
4. Build strategic partnerships.
Collaborate with key stakeholders and build strategic partnerships both within and outside your organisation. Foster relationships that support your long-term goals and enhance your ability to drive positive change. As Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba Group famously said, “Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.” Remember, action is the catalyst for change. By implementing these strategies, you can demonstrate your commitment to your vision, inspire others, and cultivate a culture of long-term growth and success.
Repositioning yourself as a visionary leader is a transformative journey that requires time and effort. It involves letting go of some control, reevaluating priorities, and embracing a broader perspective. By actively working on these strategies, you can shift from focusing on immediate results to adopting a visionary leadership style that drives both short-term success and long-term growth and relevance in a rapidly changing business landscape.
About the Author
Jenny Fernandez is an award-winning executive and team coach, keynote speaker, and advisor. She helps senior leaders become more collaborative, innovative, and resilient. She works with Global companies and scaling start-ups, conducts leadership workshops, and teaches at Columbia Business and NYU. Learn more at www.jennyfernandez.com.
References:
- How to make scenario planning more effective. February 2022. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/email/classics/2022/2022-02-19b.html
- Age and Tenure in the C-Suite: Korn Ferry Study Reveals Trends by Title and Industry. 21 January 2020. Nasdaq. https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/age-and-tenure-in-the-c-suite:-korn-ferry-study-reveals-trends-by-title-and-industry
- Becoming More Collaborative — When You Like to Be in Control. 23 March 2023. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2023/03/becoming-more-collaborative-when-you-like-to-be-in-control
- How to get the world back on track. 27 March 2024. McKinsey & Company. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/how-to-get-the-world-back-on-track
- Anticipate – Build future-proof strategies based on scenario planning. Deloitte. https://www2.deloitte.com/de/de/pages/strategy/solutions/scenario-planning-and-future-strategy.html
- Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience Paperback. Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Psychology-Experience-Perennial-Classics/dp/0061339202
- How building teams with diverse work experiences can drive success. 06 January 2023. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/90823224/ ing-diversity-complementary-skills-success
