Use your time and resources to stay alert to the whole picture and how it might affect you and your organization.
One of Aesop’s fables reads:
A frog one day peeping out of the lake, and looking about him, saw two bulls fighting at some distance off, in the meadow; and calling to one of his acquaintances, Look, says he, what dreadful work there is yonder!
Dear Sir, what will become of us? Why, pr’ythee, says the other, do not frighten yourself so about nothing; how can their quarrels affect us? They are of a different kind and way of living, and are at present only contending which shall be master of the herd. That is true, replies the first; their quality and station in life is, to all appearance, different enough from ours: but as one of them will certainly get the better, he that is worsted, being beat out of the meadow, will take refuge here in the marshes, and may possibly tread out the guts of some of us; so you see we are more nearly concerned in this dispute of theirs than at first you were aware of.
In this fable, we see a good leader in action. We are never isolated from the activities of our neighbors, especially in the world of business. What one group does affects us, whether immediately or eventually. A wise leader will be on the watch for these changes and actions, be they large or small, subtle or obvious.
If our friend the frog had been occupying his time entirely with such tasks as personally monitoring all decisions, attending all meetings, approving all expense accounts, reviewing all correspondence, and approving all raises he would never have had the time to raise his head up and see the trouble that would impact all of his group.
Wise leaders recognize the value of freeing up some of their time for the purpose of observing general trends and changes in the field. By delegating daily tasks and allowing team members the freedom to deal with the details, leaders free themselves to observe and study the big picture. Their efforts are then spent focusing on what is critical and guiding the team accordingly.
Being small or out of the way doesn’t completely insulate you from large changes and events. Don’t adopt a “swamp” mentality, stay alert to the whole picture. Your survival and success depend on it.
What things can you do to free yourself more so you can monitor the issues in the “surrounding pasture”? Can you appreciate how they will impact your group?
How much do you delegate to trusted associates who will focus “down-and-in” while you are “up-and-out”? This is particularly true for CEOs, presidents, and senior executives.