4.
The Law of Navigation: Anyone Can
The
Law of Navigation is about seeing the trip ahead, charting a plan to get to the
destination,
and remaining focused on the vision. The leader is the one who sees
farthest
into the future, making him the best person to guide his followers. A navigator
starts
with a vision, and then knows what it takes to reach that vision, who they will
need
on the team, and what obstacles to anticipate and overcome.
The
size of the project does not matter. The size of the leader and his ability to
navigate
determine the accomplishment of a mission.
Leaders
Who Lived Out the Law:
Norwegian
explorer Roald Amundsen was the leader of the first group of explorers to
reach
the South Pole. He and his team succeeded due to his ability to navigate. He
developed
strategies in painstaking details assembling the best team, equipping
everyone
with the highest quality supplies and gear, considering every possibility,
and
planning for every contingency. As a result, the team reached the goal with very
minimal
problems.
In
contrast, the team of Robert Falcon Scott, wanting also to be the first to
conquer
the
South Pole, failed to be the first team and also suffered the fatal consequences
of
bad
planning and faulty leadership.
More
lessons on leadership were illustrated by the examples of General Electric
chairman
Jack Welch and by John Maxwell himself who navigated his church
through
a vision of building an auditorium.
Pointers
for Practice
Navigating
entails research of information, gathering of ideas from grassroots to
mentors,
balancing positive thinking with realism, and having a strategy for success.
These
strategies are summarized using an acrostic:
Predetermine
a Course of Action.
Lay
Out Your Goals.
Adjust
Your Priorities.
Notifi
Key Personnel.
Allow
Time for Acceptance.
Head
into Action.
Expect
Problems.
Always
Point to the Successes.
Daily
review your plan.
