This week, I was reminded of this concept by one of my mentors. Of course, it is something I intend to practice each day and I share it with my coaching clients to heighten their level of awareness.
Another word for “effect” is result. Many leaders focus on the results (effects) and how to improve them without giving serious thought into the cause of those results. It is very natural for leaders to focus on results because as leaders, we live and die with them. Yet, focusing on results are actually based on the thinking conducted at a point in time in the past. This past thinking helped to create the results achieved and are, therefore, the “cause” of those results.
If we reverse this and think into the cause first, we can influence, direct and create the actions necessary to achieve a particular outcome we desire, or the result we are seeking.
When we think into the cause, rather than the result, the following can happen:
- Opportunities increase when thinking improves.
- Creativity flows when thinking improves.
- Profits improve when thinking improves.
- Costs reduce when thinking improves.
- Businesses grow when thinking improves.
- Incomes increase when thinking improves.
And yet very few people engage in activities that improve thinking. And that’s why the vast majority of leaders struggle and underachieve.
Your leadership thrives or dies on the quality of your thinking.
The quality of your leadership effectiveness today is determined by the quality of thinking you’ve brought to it until this point in time. And, over the course of a year, the quality of your leadership will be determined by the quality of thinking you’ve brought to it until that point in your journey.
Cause and effect.
If you take the same quality of thinking into your future that’s got you to where you are today, you will only recreate the present conditions and circumstances of your life. It doesn’t happen any other way. The evidence is all around to be seen.
As James Allen insightfully observed; “You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you”.
This is a very important and fundamental principle; unfortunately, many are just not aware of the impact on their leadership of this principle. How can a leader increase their awareness unless they have someone walking along side to act as a catalyst to their thinking? This is where a good coach comes into the picture, for those willing to take the journey. Being “coachable” means the leader will be available to think into new questions a good coach will ask intended to increase the awareness of YOUR situation.
Without it, leaders will continue to think into effects or results and not at the “cause” level. They will continue to achieve, yet not at their highest potential.
Where do you want your “tomorrow” to take you? If it is different from where you are today, your thinking must be different than it has been in the past. If this describes you or someone you know, let me know. I can help chart that path.
Best regards,
Bill