Quote-A-Day: Day 43

#Leaders work with the #future in mind, knowing that nothing more can be done to #change the past. #edchat #edu #FutureED #QuoteADay #Day43

Wouldn't it be great if we could change the past?  Imagine the tings we would accomplish if we knew then what we know now?

Of course, maybe things wouldn't be that different.  And, isn't it better to have learned from our mistakes than to have learned nothing at all?

Regardless of your view, the simple fact is that the past is the past, and no matter what we do, we can't change it.  Rather, effective leaders live in the present, always thinking about today and tomorrow, and truly reflecting on the past when it can be used to better inform us of the future.

By leading for tomorrow, we can make sure that we address situations as they arise, and that we prepare our agencies for the challenges that are waiting around the next bend.  How do we do this?  Here are three simple steps you can take to start leading with the future in mind:

1.  Stay current.  Social media, periodical subscriptions, regular conversations with those in different geographic locations.  These are all ways to keep your knowledge up-to-the-minute, something that we need to do in order to truly lead today.

2.  Make decisions.  There are times when you need to make them, and other opportunities when decision-making can be delegated.  Regardless, the only way to move forward is to eventually make a decision.  Time waits for no one.

3.  Take risks.  The unknown is, well, unknown.  To lead for the future we have to be willing to jump into the breach, and just as importantly, be prepared to be wrong from time-to-time.  And that's okay, because being wrong means we'll learn.  And by extension, that means we'll be able to reflect.

It isn't always easy to think of the future, but it is necessary.  These days, time always feels as if it moves faster than it should.  We should start living and leading like this is really the case.