Lights, Camera … Action!

As we begin to close out the year, so too are we wrapping up this series on Transform Your Horizons – the third path of The LAITHOS Way™. 

In the last few blogs, we have shared the importance of getting traction through aligning and involving a community around a vision … a vision in which they are inspired and committed. That might sound like enough to some people; however, there is one missing core ingredient – action. 

How many times have you sat on a video call or around a conference table where the objective was to execute the next big thing? Everyone buys into the goal, with many being excited about the vision of what could be. Yet, the only thing that comes out of the gathering is talk: Lots of ideas bantered about; some brainstorming accomplished; but nothing tangible has surfaced. The meeting ends, people disperse, and the daily work “gets in the way.” Then, a week … two weeks … a month … goes by and the folks who participated in that discussion are no farther along on that next big thing. 

Warning – Perfectionists and uber-vigilant leaders may cringe when reading these other examples: 

• A group of people who believe they are taking action but are actually generating “analysis paralysis” activities; there’s a constant need for more data, another iteration of information, and/or a request for more time to think about it. 
• Wasting significant time doing small, insignificant things that – in the big picture – won’t really make a difference. My dad calls it “polishing mouse droppings.” For example, finding just the right word, changing the font on the presentation multiple times, trying to determine a small detail for months down the road before taking the first step. 

It’s critical to know when it’s good enough and what is true value-add! As businessman Joel A. Barker says, “Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.” 

When individuals and teams follow the first two paths of The LAITHOS Way™ (Strengthen Your Core and Expand Your Influence),  sources for delayed action are mitigated. If you need a refresher, check out our many blogs on topics such as clarity, engagement, connection, growth, and vision. 

This Week: How do you want to change your world? Take a quick inventory of what you’ve been putting off – ask yourself what is ultimately needed in order to take action on it. Be honest! Only you will know when you’re ignoring or willing to accept “good enough.”