I keep several books going at a time from different genres. Last week I started a new book entitled The Leadership Challenge. I haven’t gotten very far into it yet but far enough to be reminded that a large part of leadership is always being aware of the environment. It is so easy to become comfortable and complacent. When things are going well we tend to catch our breath and relax a bit.
When we have an idea and we put our efforts behind it – developing it, casting a vision for it and then implementing it – we have a lot invested in it. Then when it works wonderfully, we have a tendency to repeat it. Before long, what was once a ground-breaking revolution, is now simply part of the landscape – we keep doing it over and over. We get comfortable in our success and a rut is formed.
In understanding the environment, a leader must be willing to challenge the norm. In the book mentioned above, Jim Kouzes calls this, “challenging the process.” A good leader must be able to look at the process with an eye for evaluation and then be able to envision something better. That is why leaders are not always popular, but if an organization is to grow and stay relevant, someone must be willing to challenge the process.
What are you doing today that needs to be challenged? As a leader, what are you going to do today to challenge the process?
Clay in the Hands 
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