In order to lead an organization into success and prosperity, there are two key principles or ideas you must understand as a leader;

Number One: You must understand partnership, networking or relationship.

What is partnership? Partnership is a cooperative relationship between people or groups, who agree to share the same interest and responsibility in order to achieve some specific goals. I want us to note that word “agree to share the same interest and responsibility in order to achieve.” Whoever your partner is, or whatever choice of partner you want to make as a leader, you must be sure he or she is having the same interest with you, share in your values, sees where you are going and is willing to share in your burdens and responsibility. “Being in a band is always a compromise. Provided that the balance is good, what you lose in compromise, you gain by collaboration.” Mike Rutherford

 

Another word similar to partnership is networking. What is networking? It the action or process of interacting with others to exchange information and develop professional or social contacts. So, partnership or networking is not one sided it must be balanced. Meaning that is a mutual relationship between two or more people. This means that the leader must partner, connect or network with those who are willing to take responsibility, who are willing to share in the burdens in order to move the organization forward.

 

For example, when Nehemiah had the Vision of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem that was burnt down. He didn't build it alone, he had partners. The king was His partner, the builders were also his partners and the watchmen also. The rebuilding process or Vision will either be slow, cumbersome or may not see the light of the day if partnership is absent in his leadership. It means that the degree of ease you experience in leadership is a function of partnership. And you are either in Partnership with God, with men or with something else. Partnership talks about building relationship and sustaining the relationship that you have built. The speed or slow rate of growth or the speed at which any organization is growing is determined by who the leader is in partnership with. This is a strategy a lot of leaders never put into consideration. As much as you want to bring a Vision into reality, there is also a need for the help of either the king or the builders. There is no leader who is an island.  

 

So, don’t complain why things are the way they are; have you realized who you are partnering with and what role are you playing in the partnership relationship. Another word for partner is company. Bible says evil company corrupts good manners. If bad can make the good bad, then it means good will make the good better or even the best. So, your partnership as a leader may primarily begin from the kind of wife you marry. Her character, attitude and disposition will determine if the Vision will see the light of the day even though it was given by God. So, as much as God has called you into ministry, business, politics, or has given you that Vision, God should also show you who you must partner with. I have come to realize that the problem with many people is not the Vision but the partnership. Another word for partnership is alignment. It was not difficult for Moses to receive the laws of God up on the mountain, but the alignment of the children of Israel to it was the problem. Vision plus alignment produces a great organization. Even Jesus needed people who will help Him fulfill His purpose on the earth. So, what are the things you must know about partnership?

• Partner along the line of your Vision.
• Partner with people you can learn from because, iron sharpens iron.
• Your Partners must know what you stand for.
• Partner in humility. Because, great ideas, opportunities and discussions are derived by leaders who are humble and willing to listen.
• Partner with those who can love others and also love what you and the organization is doing.

Amy Poehler once said; “As you navigate through the rest of your life, be open to collaboration. Other people and other people’s ideas are often better than your own. Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life.”

 

Number Two: You must Understand Vision: As a leader, you must understand Vision beyond the fact that it is the mental picture of the future. In order to lead an organization into prosperity, you must as a matter of necessity learn and know how to fit into a Vision. Only a few have come to this point. The reason why your organization still hasn’t gotten to where you desire it to be is because, you either find it difficult to fit into a Vision or you find it difficult to fit your followers into the Vision. It is one thing to work hard, it is another thing to fit or align hard work. It is one thing to be busy, it's another thing to be busy in the line of Vision. Only a few leaders understand this concept. So, in order to understand how Vision can drive an organization into prosperity, you must learn and know how to identify the Vision of the organization and to fit perfectly well into it.

 

There are few things that came to play in my Spirit while I write this article, when the concept of Vision is being discussed, you must take note of what I am about to share; The first comes from a statement God made in Genesis 1 verse 26. It says; “Let us make man.” But before God said “let us make man”, He said let there be light in Genesis 1 verse 3. And then something spectacular happened in Genesis chapter 2 verse 8; it says “the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden.”

God planted a garden, in the planting there were other plantings: i.e. the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the tree of life. I call it sustainers or boosters of Vision, and destroyers of Vision. So, in the garden that the Lord God planted; there were other trees that the Lord God planted.  There is the primary Vision, there is the secondary Vision and there is the sustainers of Vision. God said let there be light; the reason is so that the man he said let us make and give dominion may see. And the reason why the garden was planted is so that what has been planted will sustain the man who will ultimately sustain the garden by tending and keeping it as long as the light shines. The light God created has not stopped shining, but it was created for the man. But if the man will tend and keep the garden, his sight is very important. And if He will continue to see, what he feeds on is very important.

I am sure you are confused about this; let me break it a little bit further. While the primary Vision is the main Vision, the secondary Vision is the sustainer of the primary Vision. So, the more the man feeds on the tree of life, the more the man sees, and the more he sees, the more he takes on his responsibility. The primary Vision talks about insight. And what is an insight? It is a clear or deep perception of a situation. It also means breakthrough or discovery. So, God said let there be light, that light was to make the man see; but it was not enough to sustain the man, it was to give him direction to the tree of life that was planted in the garden that was planted. So, as a leader, it is not enough that you have had a Vision, have you also planted a garden? Planting a garden talk about foresight. This is the reason why most Vision or organization fail to see the light of the day; this is the reason why most organizations stay at a stand still. So, the combination of these two forms of Vision produces four phenomenon which I call boasters of growth. And your understanding of these boosters will set your organization on the path of prosperity.

 

Number one: There is a place the organization ought to be. You don’t have to be the CEO before you can see from this height. At this point the responsibility of the leader is to show the partners and workers exactly what he or she sees. This is where communication comes in. What the leader ought to do at this point is to set goals, this helps every one to see what the organization is driving at and they are able to measure their progress in that regard. As simple as this may sound not many leaders reflect on this first booster. It is important we come to this point.

 

Number two: There is a leader you are. This is the state of truth and realizing the obvious need for change. Apostle Paul said in Philippians 2 verse 12, “Not that I have already attained,^[a] or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” This talks about the leader realizing that this current version of himself cannot fit into the Vision of the organization he has seen. Most times seeing where the organization ought to be is not the challenge, the challenge is this; does the leader have the capacity to take the organization to where it ought to be? This where the need for preparation, equipping and training comes in.  So, what should be done at this point? The leader must give himself to reading, research, training, expose himself to experiences that will shape him. And bring the best out of him.

 

Number Three: There is a leader you must be. This is a little shift from the first point that was discussed. It is one thing to see where the organization ought to be, it is another thing to realize the kind of leader that you are currently, and it is another thing to know the kind of leader that ought to be so that you can take the organization to where it ought to be. This places demand on the leader to exercising unto knowing the rules of engagement, principles and strategic mastery. Until you become the leader that you must be, it will be impossible for you to take the organization to where it must be. Which is our first point. So, it's a build up and non is independent of the other. The leader must then Become one with the Scripture that says who by reason of use they have their senses exercised. This is the point where you have gained mastery by the reason of repetitive practice, learning by collation of past experiences and application of wisdom.  

 

Number Four: Bringing an organization to a level or place it ought to be. This point looks similar to the first, but they are different. While the first talks about Vision, seeing ahead and having an idea or understanding, the second talks about transition, it talks about rrealizing the vehicles the channels and methodologies to deploy. It talks coming into the reality of what was seen in the first point. It is about the leader asking, reflecting or introspecting where the organization is going or headed. Is it on the right path or not? If it's on the right path, what can be done for it to remain on the right path, but if it’s going the wrong direction what can be done to make a you-turn and reposition the organization. When any leader understands and put these four factors into consideration alongside partnership, relationship, and networking, then the organization is on the path of prosperity and increase.

Thanks for the gift of your time, I am Apeh Francis Abah!

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