Blessing Mpofu

Growing the Heretic Leader and His Vision

For continued effectiveness, heretic leaders need to be constantly growing. The greater you grow the greater your ability to not only challenge but shatter inhibiting status quo. Growing leaders are bolder with each endeavor. Growth of leaders will always translate to greater impact of the cause they champion. Leaders can get consumed with tweaking the machines that enable their vision and take themselves out of the equation. As a leader, you must realize that you are an integral and fundamental part of the machine that determines the impact of your cause.

The first area of growth for heretic leaders must focus on is themselves. When you grow the leader, you grow his vision. His vision in the sense of capacity to see more clearly… Planning on enabling your vision to be realized in the future is incomplete if it does not include plans to grow yourself as a leader. One of the greatest inhibitors of your vision is your growth, or lack of it. It is how intentional about your growth. It is the pace at which you grow.

As much as heretic leaders push restraints to their vision, they push restraints to their growth. As much as you challenge the status quo of your organization, industry or any other area of focus, you must allow yourself, as an individual, to be challenged as a person and leader. It is arrogance to challenge others for change when we, as leaders, cannot do that with ourselves. The essence of self-leadership is being open to scrutiny of ourselves and our environment to point out areas of growth.

It is arrogance and hypocrisy to challenge others for change when we, as leaders, cannot do that with ourselves

Heretic leaders not only seek to see growth in the impact of their cause, but understand that it starts with them embracing the need for change and growth in their own capacity. Ask those you lead where you could be better as a leader. Find out what more they need from you as a leader. Look beyond what other heretic leaders have accomplished but look at why and how they did it. Beyond studying the methods of successful heretics, study how they grew with each failure and success. Carefully observe how they grew and apply that to your leadership.

It takes courage to be vulnerable with yourself. It takes even greater courage to allow others to point out areas of growth and potential in you. Being vulnerable is not a leadership weakness; it is exhibition of courage, seated in a desire for the growth of the leader and his vision. Choose growth. Your cause and the world will never be the same. Be bold. Be /ˈherətik/.

When Being Thoughtful Does Not Count For Much

You’ve probably heard and said, the saying, “It is the thought that counts”. When it comes to relationships that is not always true. Relationships easily fail because of mere thoughts. Having benevolent thoughts and further thinking you should act on them is where we often end.

You can have great thoughts and intentions but they will never count for much until they are acted upon. Thinking of doing something nice for someone does not automatically count as doing it for them. Being thoughtful is and can only be acknowledged by action. Failed benevolent thoughts in action will always trump great benevolent thoughts that are never acted upon.

When Being Thoughtful Does Not Count For Much — **(benevolent) thoughts must be translated into action for them to make a difference** || image by striatic | cc

Great intentions alone have never changed anything and never will

Being thoughtful will never count for much unless acted upon. Your (benevolent) thoughts will only count for much when they are translated into action. Only then can thoughts touch others. Thoughts can only change lives when they work not only through our minds but our hands as well. No matter how great your thoughts, they count for nothing if you do not act on them.

Thoughtfulness is only a seed whose fruit is realized in taking action.

Thoughtful people are not considered thoughtful because of the wonderful thoughts they have for others. “Thoughtful” as a word, perhaps misleads people. On the surface it suggests that thinking about something or someone is enough. Mental activity alone does not make a difference unless it is translated to means that allow it to make an impact.

Being thoughtful is measured by actions & not mere mental activity

Stop thinking you are thoughtful and start acting it out. Imagine what could happen to your relationships all round if you stopped thinking, “thoughtful” but started being “(benevolent) action thoughtful”. Being thoughtful does not count for much it is mere thoughts that are never acted on to make a difference.

Wonderful thoughts are only wonderful when they are made visible through action

Action can be a kind deed, or words that you say. Your presence, especially when needed is another way of showing your care. People on see your thoughtfulness in your actions. It must translate to something visible and tangible to others, otherwise it does not mean much to them. Thinking of someone is only the first step in making a difference in their lives. Next time you consider yourself thoughtful consider this:

How visible and tangible is my thoughtfulness?

How To Protect Yourself From Sharing Ideas Prematurely

protect your ideas from premature sharing

Since I wrote How To Protect Your Ideas From Yourself, I’ve received a lot of requests asking for a follow-up. Specifically, How to stop yourselves from sharing ideas prematurely or with the wrong people.

In his book Business Stripped Bare – Adventures of a Global Entrepreneur, Richard Branson made a joke about inventing a device that will store all your music, making, what is now old school media redundant. It was only a joke… 15 years after the joke Apple came out with the first iPod!

Some things we will share unaware of the potential that exists. We do not completely have control over the sharing of those kind of ideas. However, for the ideas that we feel there might be a slight chance of opportunity, you have to be intentional and careful to guard them.

Ideas are a currency on their own. Protecting them is like protecting any other investment

There has never been a time in history that people have fought over ideas like now. The patent wars are about money, but if you stop to properly consider, you will realize the subtle war besides money is people wanting compensation for use of their ideas. So, how do you protect yourself from sharing ideas prematurely?

Decide

The first front to protecting yourself from sharing ideas prematurely is deciding what you’re going to share and what you’re not. This goes beyond just making a decision. It is carefully considering the ramifications of what you share and the extent to which you can share something about your idea(s). Categorize the possible audiences that will ask.

Being sold out to your idea than people’s opinions of you is the essence of protecting your ideas

For example, those that don’t really need to know much, perhaps that you are working on something that will contribute toward……… Other categories to include would be trusted enablers of your idea. That is, people you trust and can help empower your idea.

Then there are people who might be able to enable your ideas to fruition but are not sure of the extent of their contribution. And there are some you know will definitely not give your ideas breathing space. Whatever you do, you get to decide what to share, to what extent and with whom.

Free

You’re not obligated to share your ideas with everyone. I hope that liberates some people. You don’t have to justify pursuit of every idea you have with everybody every time.

Your ideas, your prerogative to share

Whatever idea(s) you have the freedom to simply say something like, “I can’t share anything yet, but I will when I’m / we’re ready…” You do not have to say anything… Your ideas, your prerogative to share….

Password

What’s the password? Put a password on your files. A good one, rather a very strong one. You’d be surprised how many people overlook a simple thing like this. If they haven’t put a password (even on your own computer) it makes it easier for anyone to see. If you are writing anything down, make backups that are also protected.

Social Media

Double check and triple check anything that you post on social media. Once it is on the Internet you cannot take it back. You may delete your tweet or blog post but you don’t know if it has been copied. Social media is great for promoting ideas that are ready to be promoted and rallying support when needed, but can be devastating if you share too soon.

Drunk

Don’t take ideas with you when you’re going to be involved in something that has the potential to impair your judgment. Think about how many iPhones were left or lost at bars before they were ready for release. (It could’ve been marketing gimmicks, but don’t take chances…)

Stay away from places and situations that can impair your judgment and cause you to blurt your ideas.

Get a someone close, you trust to be your filter. Give them permission to knock you out if they have to, in order to stop you from over-sharing or sharing something you shouldn’t.

Have a platform where you share your ideas. Create a space where ideas are shared and refined. This will curb the frustration of having ideas burning. When you talk about your ideas in a safe and private environment it you are less likely to go about blurting them out in places you shouldn’t be.

Some people share ideas prematurely in places and to people they should not because there is no where they share them as a means of venting and release for excitement for the ideas they carry.

What would you recommend to me (and others like me) that have ideas they do not want to share prematurely?

[image by CraigMoulding | cc]

disclosure: post has book affiliate link

3 Reasons You Must Acknowledge Your Shortcomings

Everyone has shortcomings. Leaders aren’t excused. Being in a leadership role magnifies both your strengths and shortcomings. Leader, the platform of leadership magnifies who you are.

Not all leaders know how to acknowledge their shortcomings. Some leaders do not acknowledge their shortcomings, as they want to be seen as perfect. Wanting others to see us as perfect is a default setting in us that does not help us be better people or leaders.

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The Best Ways To Acknowledge Your Shortcomings

We may say we’re not but act like we are. Perfect, that is. The truth still stands; no one is perfect. Everyone generally accepts this for everybody else except when they feel violated by others.

Worse, still, when it is a leader that has failed. Whether you’re a leader in particular context or a part of a team being led, you’re aware of the shortcomings of those you serve with and those whose supervision you serve under.

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