Last year I was involved in a leadership course through MGSM. Being a sponge for knowledge I really enjoyed this course and kept comprehensive notes on all things “leadership”.
One of the activities during this course was visualisation. Having a strong imagination and an easy ability to “float off” I found this challenge a welcome distraction.
We were asked to visualise ourselves in 15 years time at a party. I love parties, so it was not hard to imagine being at one!
Where was it? Who were we with? What were we celebrating?
Falling into a party vision for me was wonderful, my mind really ran with it - so much so that I had my first real sense of clarity through this one 5 minute exercises.
We were asked to draw a picture of our party. (pic below, remember I am not an artist).
My party went something like this:
It was a summery dusk evening in Sydney with a purple pink sky littered with a few clouds. I was standing in a room full of smiling friends and family with a glass of champagne in my hand. I’m sure I was wearing Akira. Bright, light and happy. Even though I normally shy away from being the centre of attention, I was happy having glasses raised around me.
The penthouse venue was floor to ceiling glass on one side and we overlooked the gorgeous Botanical Gardens; I will never tire of this view. It was a party in full swing, joyous and celebratory.
I was on the board of directors for a not-for-profit organisation and we were celebrating a successful execution of a project in a developing country - slightly hypocritical being in such a swish place - but I justified this as a corporate sponsorship party. After all, fundraising is key to any successful not-for-profit organisation.
I loved my vision, it seemed achievable and gave me something I could work towards. A solid and clear goal that sat well with my character.
The next step in the exercises was to write a timeline on how we would manage to achieve this party, and this is where the real clarity set in. In previous goal setting exercises I always started at the beginning, not at the vision.
What personal attributes did I need to ensure my vision became a reality?
- Greater business acumen
- Fundraising skills
- Financially independent
- Support from family and friends
The next step was to work out how I managed to attain this. As a project manager, I have learnt to map everything out as small achievable tasks and put them into a timeline. This has proved more useful in my unemployment than when I was managing large scale projects.
Not only was I now looking for a job, but I was looking for a job that would lead me on my path to my vision. The role I would land would be one small component of my “Vision Project”.
In order to do an organisation true justice I would need more experience in a middle-management position in my field of expertise: Crisis Management / Emergency Assistance. Being a niche market this may be difficult to procure, so I have also considered other industries and roles where my skills can develop further.
I need greater general management experience, preferably offshore in a developing country.
I also need to be financially independent. Thus the 15 years.
To achieve these goals I knew that not only did I require more hands on experience but also formal qualifications. This will provide theoretical knowledge and would also would give me a disciplined approach to learning.
My vision is written on a piece of paper I keep beside my bed for easy reference. I have not added or amended this vision and given its importance I think I will have it laminated to keep with me at all times.
I have absolute belief in myself that my vision will be realised - starting with a new Akira dress.
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