Small Business News has published a video and companion story entitled “Becoming an Effective Leader.” The story describes the six steps leaders follow to get others to support their mission:
1. Have a strategy
2. Have a specific goal or vision of the future
3. Communicate that goal or vision with others
4. Get things started; take action
5. Set the example; motivate
6. Delegate
Now, here’s my question about these six steps. They do summarize the function of leading to some extent, but are they specific enough to be helpful to someone who struggles to lead? For example, what does it mean to “have a strategy?” And is it really possible to create that strategy before you have identified your future goals and established your vision?