Your Time Lens Shapes Direction

Time is a way of seeing.

The calendar and the clock impact decisions. Decisions shape direction.

Leaders make decisions with an emphasis on either the past, present, or future.

Three Time Filters

#1 Past

History-focused leaders ask:

1. What happened?
2. What went wrong?
3. How can we protect hard-won gains?
4. What worked in the past?

They seek certainty before trying new things. They admire people who don’t make waves.

Predictability is a benefit of past-thinking leaders.

#2. Present

Some leaders focus on the present when making decisions. They’re practical. Present-thinkers value execution. They solve today’s problems.

1. What’s happening now?
2. What needs to be done?
3. What resources do we currently have?

Now-leaders neglect the future because of present responsibility. They admire discipline in others. They elevate people who complete tasks.

Present-thinking leaders bring reliable results.

#3. Future

Some leaders gaze into the future. They love new ideas. They ask:

1. What could be?
2. Who might people become?
3. Where could we go?

Future-thinkers are ping-pong balls bouncing from one thing to the next. They despise repetition.

Future-focused leaders disrupt organizations.

Application

In the past, I judged leaders with a different time orientation than mine. Now I seek and respect their perspectives.

Conflicts are often the collision of different time orientations. Don’t judge. Adopt a three-dimensional view of time. For example, seek out historians and visionaries if you focus on the present.

Wise decisions honor the past, address the present, and build the future.

How do time filters impact your leadership?

5 Power Tips for Powerful Decisions

The Value of Leaders Learning from History