5 Neglected Behaviors that Make Dreams Happen
Organizations that ignore dreamers die.
The two most dangerous people in organizations are dreamers who lack experience and dream-killers.
Dream-killers roll their eyes and say, “They don’t know what it takes.”
A young dreamer’s confidence is rooted in ignorance.
Reform dream-killers; develop dreamers.
7 dark qualities of inexperienced dreamers:
- Forget they need the support and backing of reasonable people.
- Think about results, but not how to get there.
- Over-emphasize benefits and under-estimate difficulties.
- Optimistically assume things fall into place.
- Feel shocked when others aren’t excited about their dream.
- Don’t enjoy convincing people their dream has value.
- Expect others to do the menial stuff.
5 things to expect from dreamers:
- Willingness to seize imperfect progress. Inexperienced dreams use imperfect progress as an excuse to do nothing.
- Hard-headedness. Dreamers are captivated by their own perspective.
- Hard work. A lazy dreamer is a waste of time.
- Persistent dissatisfaction.
- Irritating relationships with others. Reasonable folk don’t like unreasonable dreamers.
5 neglected behaviors that make dreams happen:
- Identify and gain customers. “Build it and they will come,” only works in the movies. Dreams without customers are a waste of time.
- Think like a dreamer. Talk like a doer. Dreamy-talk doesn’t inspire confidence in others.
- Learn from detractors, rather than brushing them aside.
- Develop people and grow teams. Dreams that don’t require others are too small.
- Listen more. Everyone isn’t a complete idiot.
Dreamers set reasonable people on edge. But, every team needs at least one irritating dreamer.
7 questions to ask inexperienced dreamers:
Leading dreamers tests leadership.
- Why does it matter?
- Who believes in your dream?
- How do you know they believe?
- What are detractors saying? (Dreamers probably have avoided detractors.)
- How can we start small, now?
- What’s the next step?
- How can I help?
How are you developing the dreamers on your team?
What qualities enhance a dreamers effectiveness?
Terrific post. I find it best to find as many detractors as early in my dream as possible. They usually fire me up, make me think and inspire me to action. I find I want to “prove them wrong” which fuels me… but at the same time take their insights to heart and use them in the refining. I recently co-wrote a children’s picture book on leadership. We are at the stage of looking for an agent and a publisher and have been networking quite a bit in this regard. I don’t have enough fingers and toes to tell you how many people have told us that “publishing a childrens book is nearly impossible (without having read ours). We feel strongly our book is necessary and that the world doesn’t have enough books in this genre.
We had 2 choices… to let that discourage us, or fire us up. We are now on our 18th revision. And are sending it to children’s librarians and any one else who will help kick holes in it. Each time it improves. I’m glad we had some sobering detractors before we got to the point of submission.
KaPow!! Learning from detractors is so often neglected.
I must say Karin, I don’t put you in the category of an inexperienced dreamer. But, perhaps with your new life, it feels that way.
The power of detractors to stiffen our resolve should never be ignored. If detractors defeat you, you need another dream.
For me, “detractors” may help clarify or adjust methods. But, they don’t change the ultimate purpose of the dream.
Thanks, Dan. I so agree… detractors are a great way to help clarify and adjust methods.
Starting a class with Trevor Blake tomorrow evening.
He went from coming to America with 74 dollars to selling two companies he started for over 400 million dollars.
Going to follow his take on how Dreamers ought to proceed.
His book Three Simple Steps is great.
I am following advice of people who have done what I am in the process of doing.
The Third Unlimited is gonna ROCK!!!
SP
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Thanks Scott. Best wishes for the class. I sometimes question the thinking that what works for one works for everyone one. It’s based on the false assumption that everyone is the same.
LOVE IT! I worked in an organization that didn’t allow me to dream. If you do, and can’t get that organization to allow you to develop your dreams; get out! I found myself doing things I normally wouldn’t do in this culture. It almost killed me.
Thanks Jason. Man!! I know what you mean. Organizations can absolutely drain the energy out of people. In the end, it’s the organizations that lose.
I know you’re on a more positive path now. Go get’em.
Thank you for the 7 questions to ask. That will help me today, gonna put it in practice.
Thanks John. What I find challenging is helping inexperienced dreams grow without draining their energy. I find a “go with” approach helps.
Thank you for that. I certainly don’t want to drain their energy. I want to help direct it.
Another great post, Dan! You asked a question at the end of your post, “What qualities enhance a dreamer’s effectiveness?” I would say the ability to grow as the dream manifests is critical. I am a definitely a dreamer at the tender young age of 46. Having experienced dreams coming true in ministry and marriage, I find that you must outgrow certain behaviors along the way that were probably allowable at one stage in life but, if continued unchecked, will turn your dream into a nightmare. I’m grateful for the aha moments I’ve had that brought me face-to-face with behaviors, habits, etc. that needed to be discarded if I was going to continue enjoying dreams I worked hard to make manifest.
Thanks Pastor. Great add. You launch us into the dreamer’s journey. It’s one thing to start and quite another to grow along the way. So frequently, dreamers don’t have the management skills to lead an organization. At the beginning, passion solves most things. But, there comes a point where passion and hard work don’t help.
Being open is essential but not easy, because it was stubborn determination that got the ball rolling.
Thanks for extending the conversation.
Dreamers are people who never use eyes to see 🙂 because they are dreaming.. and if reality was so overwhelming , no one could make any progress..we must let dreamers ..dream a larger picture..and “doers” take care of hard work..because sometimes too many detailing , makes the dream turn into a nightmare. Better ,close eyes from reality to capture the dream where it was left.
Years ago there was a TV ad that said: “I liked the shaver so much I bought the company.” This CEO’s name was Victor Kiam, and his company was Remmington Products. Kiam also authored a book on a term he coined, INTRApreneurship…persons (dreamers if you will) who do not go out on their own, but rather create and launch new products and revenue streams within a company.
It should be no surprise that the brightest and most intelligent persons “work for other people.”
However in years past, it was an old immigrant maxim that “Having one’s own bad business was better than working for another in a good job.” These two concepts were the basis from
which Victor Kiam conceived INTRApreneurship.
The prerequisite and the single most important quality for hiring all staff members–from engineers, production personnel to office and sales staff–was that they be dreamers from day one. Of note is the fact that 191 out of 961 staff members became millionaires as a result of bonuses and royalties under the 38 year leadership of Kiam.
Great post Dan. I love the paradox of believing in your dreams, but still listening to the detractors. This may be where it helps to be comfortable with non-dualistic thinking. You think less in terms of “either/or” and more like “both/and.” In this case you would continue to believe in yourself, but realize opposing opinions could be helpful. It’s like mental Judo.
Point C.4. “Develop people and grow teams. Dreams that don’t require others are too small.” sounds a lot like collaboration. This doesn’t necessarily mean hiring people, though. It could be a joint venture or strategic alliance. To your point, I wholeheartedly believe we’re better together.
Great post indeed. I enjoyed it too
Great blog – thanks goodness I am not working with any Dream killers!!!
I agree. I have worked with some real dream killers. However, dreams, in the beginning, tend to be fuzzy. Given the right environment, they acquire shape