Imagine More

Image via Wikipedia/Imagination At Work

Today’s post is the first of a two part series about imagining more.

As a leader, you need to imagine what your organization or business will look like. Do you have an idea of what you would like your organization to look like?

If not, pause right now and imagine what your organization will look like.

Okay, good. You are back . Now lets talk about what you imagined.

You have probably imagined some of the following features of your organization or business:

• The number of people that will be in your organization
• The reach of you will have
• The amount of money that will be brought in
• How much time you will spend on the organization
• The type of customer you want
• What product or service your organization will be selling

You are off to a good start if you are able to see these features of the business. You have decided on your target audience, where you are to be located, and your income. Great!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…”
– Ephesians 3:20

I would now like you to think about some great leaders you know. Who comes to mind? Steve Jobs? Bill Gates? Mark Zuckerberg? Jeff Bezos?

Each of these men started off with an idea of what they would like their company to look like. Steve Jobs and Bill Gates started off creating computers, Mark Zuckerberg created a website to connect people, and Jeff Bezos created a site to sell books.

Once they created their companies, they started to imagine more. What else could Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, or Amazon do?

Steve Jobs imagined a portable MP3 player that everyone desired. A portable tablet computer. A music service that provided digital music. He imagined more.

Bill Gates imagined new office software. A foundation to help the needy. He imagined more.

Mark Zuckerberg imagined a social network that would reconnect friends. A website to share personal stories. To share photos and memories. He imagined more.

Jeff Bezos imagined being the online destination for purchasing goods. A tablet computer to access their website and features. A streaming video service. He imagined more.

“There is a boundary to men’s passions when they act from feelings; but none when they are under the influence of imagination. “
–Edmund Burke

I now challenge you to imagine more for your ministry, organization, or business. What can be improved upon? What can be done better? Who can you serve better? What else can you offer?

Earlier, I asked you to imagine what your organization looks like. You have that in mind. Now, imagine more. Imagine bigger. Imagine better.

Have you exhausted your imagination in regards to what your organization looks like? Good.

Take a couple of minutes and write it out. Put what you have imagined down on paper or on your computer screen. Make it real. Look at it. Know it is what you want for your organization.

Now you are dreaming big!

“Creativity is a lot like looking at the world through a kaleidoscope. You look at a set of elements, the same ones everyone else sees, but then reassemble those floating bits and pieces into an enticing new possibility. Effective leaders are able to”
– Rosabeth Moss Kanter