It is important that you understand that there is a difference between the man who knows how to drive the car and the man who knows the direction to the desired destination. A leader first and foremost is supposed to know the intended destination.
One day I was listening to an interview that was conducted with the former president of Nigeria. During that interview the former president said something that convinced me that he had an understanding of leadership. The interviewer had asked him about the role his special advisers play in his government. He said well, if I want to go somewhere, I must first of all know where I want to go before I ask for your advice on how to get there. It is only after I have determined my destination that I can consider whether it is best to go by air, road or sea.
Leaders understand the importance of direction. In every good definition of leadership, there are a few key elements; the leader, the led, the destination and the process. The ultimate end of leadership is the destination. Whatever level of life you find yourself, you must think in terms of direction.
The leader lives in the tomorrow that others are dreaming about. He lives in tomorrow while others live in today; he sees tomorrow how it is likely to be. Many of the world’s greatest inventors invented things that were not considered possible before they did them. When you stop seeing tomorrow as possible, your leadership becomes stunted. So, understand direction!
