During coaching or speaking engagements, I’m often asked the question, “What is the most important thing leaders need to do?” My response is always the same. “Take time to think. Define what success looks like.”

When I ask my clients if they are taking the time to think, the response is typically, “Yes. Usually on my drive to and from work.” Sure, I get that, but I’m asking if there is time on your calendar dedicated to “thinking” and is it protected as part of your leadership process? I follow up with, “You should be spending at least 2 two-hour sessions per week thinking about what success looks like for your business or organization.” Often, I get laughed at! They say, “Where am I going to get that kind of time? My schedule is packed!” Think about that. The leader of the organization doesn’t have the time to think about where the organization is going or what success looks like.

This discussion is not uncommon, and it stems from the way we have been rewarded in the past. We were promoted for delivering tangible results. We got “stuff done”. We delivered a work product. That gave us the opportunity to move to the next level.

The higher we go, however, the less we are expected to do tactically and the more we are paid to “have a view”. We all struggle with letting go of the tactical part of work. Several of my clients have admitted to feeling guilty when they are thinking about VISION and STRATEGY and not doing “physical work”. They feel guilty for thinking about the future.

How can you lead without knowing what success looks like for your business or organization? How can you know what success looks like if you don’t think about it and dream about where you are going? Being “busy” with stuff feels good, but it is not your job. You are paid to have a vision for success. Once you have it, you are responsible for removing barriers for your team. This cannot happen unless you take the time to think, define what success looks like, and lead the process to get there.

Okay leaders, I have an exercise for you! Let’s assume it’s January 1, 2020. You were just awarded the Holiday Concert Program at the Lincoln Center in New York for December 23, 2020. You have the freedom to design the program any way you want. It can be a traditional symphony concert, a rock concert, a country theme, or even a series of individual performers. The point is, you must dream about what the night of December 23rd will look like, then execute the plan. You must think about what the music will be, one year from now. What does a successful evening look like? You must define it. Once you decide, you will know what music you will play, what instruments you need, what everyone will wear, and what the event program will look like. This is your VISION of what success looks like for December 23, 2020. Now you must put together the STRATEGY to ensure that you will be ready. You know what instruments you need, the music they need to learn, and you’ve put together a practice schedule. Everyone is learning the right music, and you are monitoring monthly progress and adjusting along the way.

What if you didn’t take the time to think and just started without a vision of what success looks like? You would have no idea of the end state, no idea of the talent you need, no communication or schedule. You may have some violins on your team. You may also have electric guitars, harmonicas, and banjos, and on December 23rd , they would sound like a bag of cats! All dressed in different garb!

The same applies to business. If you don’t take the time to think and establish a vision of what success looks like, everyone will be busy all year long, but all working on different issues going in different directions. Case in point: How many leaders hold performance reviews at the end of the year, only to have their employees come in with long lists of all the things they worked on over the past twelve months? They say, “But look at all the stuff I did during the year!” “Yes”, you reply, “But it wasn’t the work we needed for the program.” They rate themselves high. You rate them low. Being busy doesn’t count. All efforts must be aligned and on schedule for the vision of success, much like all musicians must learn their parts if the concert is going to sound like a grand symphony.

My advice to you this January is to take some time to think about what success looks like for you one year from now. What do you and your team want to brag about at the end of the year? What do you want to tell your boss at the end of the year that shows how powerful you and your team are for the business? Once you have your vision of what success looks like one year from now, write your performance review for 2020. Write it now. Pin it to the wall, so you see it every day. Have your team write theirs. Why not? You know what you must get done. Why not write a successful review today and follow it all year long? You will ensure the alignment of the team to the business and to each other. Sure, you will need to adjust along the way, but the end game doesn’t change. There will be no disconnects between you and your team members during the end of year review, since you used the VISION as both a team and individual game plan.

You are paid to have an opinion and a view. Block the time each week on your calendar to think about what success looks like, both long and short term. Once it is defined, use it as your team’s compass. Get to the point where you feel guilty if you are NOT taking the time to think. Taking time to THINK is not a luxury, it is your job!