I failed.

I reacted, or rather, I responded.  But I was far from proactive.

As a leader, my job is to cast a vision.  This vision must be compelling.  It must be exciting.  It must paint such a wonderful picture, that any notion of maintaining the status quo would be crazy.  The future is the panacea.  Remaining here is retro…but not in the cool way…like 80’s music.  In the retro way like a Pinto that gets rear-ended in a car accident.

As a leader, I’m already there.  I’ve moved into the future.  I am in the middle (or at the head) of my vision – not just catching up to it.

As a leader, I have failed to cast this vision for others.  I have failed to show them a better future.  I have failed to inspire.

Instead, I have tried to win over nay-sayers.  I have tried to make converts.  But how?

I may have made a few clever observations.  And I may have educated them.  And though they may stroke their Van Dykes and crease their foreheads in contemplative agreement, I have not inspired.

If I have made you contemplate…if I have made you think…then I probably haven’t inspired you.

There is most certainly a time for educating, but when do you hear about a group of well-informed consumers making a difference?  You don’t!  You hear about impassioned and inspired souls who join movements.  You hear great speeches with quotable sound bites from their leaders.

That’s not an appeal to intellect.

I wish I could say that I was done, but I’m not.  I have a few more articles to write, and, for the time being, educating is the only path I see.

But I really hope to inspire.  And maybe someday, I will.