Sense-Making, Decision-Making, Policy- or Product-Making & Future Making

Wow, it's been a while since I last wrote a Thought-of-The-Week article. 7+ months, to be exact. I must have been busy building up Rested Edge Advisory, selling, designing, innovating on & delivering client work, plus working on One Dream & its various initiatives.

Between the last time I wrote, Singapore has journeyed through 2 "watershed" elections --- one parliamentary election & one presidential election. Also the world has lost one of its most profound, authentic & successful innovator-leaders --- Steve Jobs.

My blog post today is titled "Sense-Making, Decision-Making, Policy- or Product-Making & Future-Making".

Many times when I work with a leader, I try to ascertain, at the onset, if the leader has average, good or great "Sense-Making".

"Sense-Making" refers to the way we see, view, perceive the world; our place in it; and what therefore are the most important things to achieve in this world which we live. "Sense-Making" is fundamentally important - it undergirds how decisions are made, which policies (if one works in the political or public service arena) or products get made or thrown out. Over time, cumulatively, our future is created (or destroyed) through the collective & aligned sense-making, decision-making, and policy- or product-making efforts... of leaders of continents, countries, cities, communities, societies, industries, businesses, religious groups, etc.

To have great "Sense-Making", I believe that a leader needs first of all, to have, or to cultivate, an open mind. An open mind precedes "open ears, open eyes" as one can definitely listen but not hear, or see but not perceive, pretty common leadership "blind spots".

After (i) an open mind, (ii) open ears, & (iii) open eyes, the leader needs to be able to convert "data into information into insight". Some leaders do this better than others. Which elements underscore & determine their success?

The very good ones I believe are able to "suspend judgment" as they sieve through, sniff out, see, ingest & digest data. Being able to "suspend judgment" is very important as one of the greatest Behavioral Economic bias which all of us exhibit is that "we tend to shut down, turn away & block out facts & data points which point to something we do not personally believe in, or subscribe to".

After suspending judgment and succesfully sieving, sniffing & seeing the data as points individually & as patterns collectively, these Leaders then simplify with great mastery, data into information into insights - insights which they personally & passionately believe in, and can masterfully inform, influence & impact others to personally & passionately believe in.

"Sense-Making, Decision-Making, Policy- or Product-Making & Future-Making" are very important elements of success for a Leader.

As Leaders, we are often called upon to (i) chart the future, (ii) make the future attractive, compelling & promising, and then to (iii) inform & influence our associates, employees, peers, followers & constituents to get strongly & passionately onto the journey with us... to (iv) not only enjoy the journey, but to (v) deliver the goods, and to eventually (vi) reach the promised land jointly with us, all the while remaining in step with us.

Ask yourself today --- Are you good at "Sense-Making"?

What about "Decision-Making"?

What about "Policy- or Product-Making"?

What about "Future-Making"?

Few people can answer an emphatic yes to all the above four questions.

If, like many leaders, your answer is less than an emphatic yes to the above four questions, don't fret... but I suggest it's high-time you think about improving them. To this end, writing them into your 2012 Goal Setting & Resolutions... will be a great way to start.

Improved "Sense-Making, Decision-Making, Policy- or Product-Making & Future-Making" will definitely make you a better leader... and all of us can be better leaders.