Leaders see in many ways.

On one of the most terrifying days of my life, I had a headache. 

It was the worst headache I'd ever had. So I left my office to go home and lie down. During the 40+ mile drive to my house, I began to lose the vision in my left eye. By the time I arrived at my doctor's office, I couldn't see at all on that side.

It's incredibly frightening to think you may be going blind.

My ophthalmologist immediately hospitalized me, and I was treated with intravenous steroids. I recovered and never experienced any of the really frightening neurological problems this could have signaled.  Since then I have never taken my vision for granted. This month, watching my father enjoy the dramatic improvement in his vision after cataract surgery was a joy. It nearly made me jealous, knowing he can now see better than I can!

The ability to focus on the world around us is one of the joys of life.  We often take it for granted. I don’t have the scientific training to understand how our eyes and brains can filter and organize all of the amazing stimuli that the world presents, to share a clear picture that we can understand. But as leaders, that’s what we need to do: see in many different ways, and organize what we see into a leadership practice.

1. Leaders visualize the future. Leaders must dedicate real time to strategic visioning – this is the core of leadership practice. No matter what you are leading, you must have a vision of the destination. As marketing principal for Kaufman Rossin, I see that the future for our industry and our firm will be different. Increasing automation has created both challenges and opportunities; stricter regulation in many industries is producing new ways to deliver value. To inspire my team and create that future, I need to communicate the vision: a firm that helps our clients protect their businesses from risk and improve their results, using the energy and innovation that our people-first culture can deliver.
2. Leaders learn from the past. For the next two years I have the privilege and responsibility to be Chair of The Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade. The Women’s Fund is a 23 year old organization that has helped to change the lives of thousands of women and girls in our community. Our vision is a world where access, opportunity and security aren’t limited by gender. As a lifelong feminist I know this is important work. But the world has changed in the last two decades. There’s a wealth of history and knowledge to be gained from many of the women who started The Women’s Fund; understanding how they assessed our community needs then, and what they see today, will help us create our future. 
3. Leaders look inside. As leaders, we spend a lot of time looking at others, and coaching them on how they can improve. But what about you? What are your strengths? Make sure you know them, and check in with yourself frequently to use them to your best advantage. What are your personal needs? Whether it’s yoga and mindfulness, or volunteering to help children learn to read, make sure the things that create joy in your life are on your schedule. This practice does more than just sustain you. You have a tremendous responsibility as a leader: you are a role model. If you work too much, stress too much, and breathe too little, your employees will do the same. 
4. Leaders observe. There’s only so much you can learn by looking inside your organization or yourself. Observing the strategies, successes and failures of others adds tremendous value. One of my favorite projects is my firm’s sponsorship of the annual Top Women-Led Business Survey from The Commonwealth Institute. As the sponsor we build and deploy the survey, interpret the data, write the report, and moderate a panel of top women business owners. Through the survey data and directly speaking to the panelists, I observe other women I admire. I learn from their struggles and triumphs. Their stories inform and inspire how I lead.

Try this practice.

1. Imagine that you are at the beginning of a journey. It can be a personal journey, or one for your organization. What does the destination look like? Write that vision down, in a vivid, graphical way. (hint: use lots of adjectives). 
2. Talk to someone who has a long-term perspective on you or your organization. Share your vision. Where do they see strengths or obstacles? Try to see what they see.
3. Take the Gallup Strengthsfinder assessment to get another view. How will your strengths serve your vision?
4. Every Monday morning, look at what you wrote and assess: how much progress have you made on the journey? Set goals for the coming week.

Janet Kyle Altman leads the marketing team at Kaufman Rossin, one of the top CPA firms in the country, and is Immediate Past Chair of The Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade. She practices yoga and leadership daily in Miami. You can reach Janet at jaltman@kaufmanrossin.com.