Get Real by John C. Maxwell

"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality." This statement by Max DePree leaves little room for ambiguity. Depending on your personality, however, it can also be very difficult to practice.

I've always been a dreamer. I've always tried to look on the positive side. I always have great hope, whatever the situation. These traits are admirable in certain circumstances, but at times they have definitely interfered with my ability to define reality.

My lack of realism is a weakness that I've only begun to tackle in recent years. In this process, I've been guided by some advice from Jack Welch, the CEO's CEO. Because his six rules for successful leadership have helped me so much, I want to share them with you.

1. Control your destiny, or someone else will.
2. Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it were.
3. Be candid with everyone.
4. Don't manage; lead.
5. Change before you have to.
6. If you don't have a competitive advantage, don't compete.

These points grabbed me when I first read them. All of a sudden, I realized I needed to face reality as it was-not as I wanted it to be or as I thought it should be. Realism was the solid ground I needed to stand on.

What is your natural bent? Is it toward optimism or realism? Let me describe what I've gone through in my evolution toward being a more realistic thinker. As you read, think about which statement best describes where you are.

1. I do not engage in realistic thinking.
2. I do not like realistic thinking.
3. I will let someone else do realistic thinking.
4. I will do realistic thinking only after I am in trouble. (I worked in that mode for several years.)
5. I will do realistic thinking before I am in trouble.
6. I will continually make realistic thinking a part of my life.
7. I will encourage my key leaders to do the same.
8. I will make realistic thinking the foundation of our business. (This is where I am now)
9. I derive certainty and security from realistic thinking.
10. I rely heavily on facts and often make judgments according to the worst-case scenario.

As you can see, I haven't reached the final level yet, but I'm working on it. Your journey toward more realistic thinking might not look exactly the same as mine, but we do have one thing in common. If you and I want to be successful-as leaders and in every other part of our lives-we absolutely must make realism a priority.

I'm not saying we have to throw away our hopes, dreams, and optimism entirely. After all, our dreams are what allow us to soar to new levels. But before we can soar, we must have our feet planted on a firm foundation. And that foundation is realism.

William Arthur Ward once said, "The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change, and the realist adjusts the sails." Are you ready to get real?

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This article is used by permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell's free monthly e-newsletter 'Leadership Wired' available at www.MaximumImpact.com.