The 5000 ft. Level Leader

Are you stuck in the weeds as a leader? It's time for a change. Successful leadership requires a bird's eye view, or what we call strategic thinking at the 5000 ft. level. Avoiding the trap of micromanagement and misplaced focus can revolutionize your work environment. 

This summer, we're addressing this issue head-on in our Think Good Summer Series: “ “What to Do When”, providing tangible tools to nurture your big-picture thinking.

Here's a nugget of wisdom to consider - true leadership isn't all about being engaged in the nitty-gritty details, or as I like to call it...'doing the do'. Exceptional leaders grasp the essence of taking a bird's-eye view at the 5000 ft. level as opposed to merely the 500 ft. perspective. This macro-perspective, known as strategic thinking, prevents leaders from succumbing to the quicksand of micromanagement and misplaced focus.

A common query is: Why do numerous leaders get entrenched in the weeds? Here's what we know from our clients. The hustle and bustle of our daily routine - extinguishing crises, handling endless to-do lists, and continuous meetings - often derail us from these goals, especially those audacious ones that we refer to as 'BHAGs' (Big Hairy Audacious Goals).

Stephen Covey coins it perfectly - living life in the urgent/important or urgent/not important matrix. The key takeaway here is that efficient leaders dedicate at least 20% of their time to non-urgent but important tasks, which includes strategic planning, nurturing relationships, and embarking on professional development activities. This is the cornerstone of strategic thinking.

Hence, another barrier to this macro-perspective thinking is the Peter Principle - the idea that individuals often rise to their level of incompetence within a hierarchy. While promoting from within can be rewarding, it can also spell disaster if there's no emphasis on the bigger picture.

If promotions are based solely on functional excellence without considerations for strategic thought leadership, it can create issues. This 500 ft. level perspective can cause frustration for the ED who advocated for the promotion.

As a Leadership Coach, here's a common grievance I hear: "My VP's are too focused on minor details, they struggle to delegate, and they are overwhelmed. They aren't providing the tools for their teams to solve their problems but fixing them instead. They lack time to concentrate on the vital bigger picture and it's driving me insane."

This is where strategic thinking comes into play, acting as a safeguard to prevent leaders from falling into the pit of micromanagement, thus fostering a healthier, more efficient work environment.

Join Dr. Lauren Otten and I  in the second installment of our Think Good Summer Series, "What to Do When", where we'll delve into this issue. We'll explore the rationale behind strategic thinking, equip you with perspective-shifting insights on cultivating this mindset for yourself and your team, alongside practical tools to broaden your thinking.

Be the leader who operates at the 5000 ft. level.

Learn more and Register here for our FREE ZOOM Summer series. By signing up, you'll gain access to all five workshops. Don't worry if you can't attend them all!

PS: Spread the love and share this opportunity with your network - after all, sharing is indeed caring!

#leadershipdevelopment #nonprofit leadership #thinkingdifferently