EXECUTIVE EXCELLENCE
Through the Power of Creative Imagination

By Trinidad Hunt

Mind is the Master - power
That molds and makes,
And man is mind and
Evermore he takes
The tool of thought, and,
Shaping what he wills,
Brings forth a thousand joys,
A thousand ills:
He thinks in secret,
And it comes to pass;
Environment is
But his looking glass.

James Allen

Down through history, inspired individuals have come to share the discovery that man becomes what he thinks. These enlightened beings have come to reveal a world within a microcosm of all creation, as resplendent and alive as the one in which we live. The relationship between the internal world and the external world is one of cause and effect, and is determined by law not by accident. This universe within gives birth to our life's circumstances. Whether consciously or unconsciously, we shape our destiny by our thinking, and forge our future in the furnace - by the fire of our imagination. Like sculptors, what we mold and model within us, we eventually.become.

In the physical universe, change is a constant. The ocean of life is always in motion, and if we don't direct change, change will surely direct us. Until a man realizes the function of thought, and imagination as his most powerful creative tools, he is like a ship without a rudder, cast about on a stormy sea. The realization of who we are lies latent within, until we become aware that our rightful position is at the help of our own ship and that our destiny happens by our design. Each of us has a contract to fulfill; we are like artists, and our life is our great work of art.

The Visionary Leader
In the last decade, much has been said about the use of creative imagination for effecting changes in the areas of athletics, health and wellness, and the domain of personal transformation. We hear much less about the use of visualization in the arena of organizational effectiveness and professionalism. Yet, creative imagination's power to shape and carve our professional destiny is indisputable. Most highly exceptional business and professional leaders have discovered the power of creative imagination or visualization on their own. Charles Garfield, author of Peak Performance - The New Heroes of American Business, calls visualization "the master key" to success. Garfield states that every brilliant executive leader he interviewed used visualization as a powerful tool for shaping the future and determining the course of events in effecting corporate change.

Vision is the bridge
Between this World Youth Network
And the world of possibility.
It is man's sacred link to a universe
Not yet manifest,
Pregnant with potential,
And alive with
Awesome possibility.

In business, as in personal lives, the best way to predict the future is to create it; write the script and act out the part yourself! But first, we must distinguish between dreamers and visionaries. Dreamers are often romantic idealists who let their imaginations paint fascinating, but impractical pictures of the future. These images usually fail to materialize for the dreamer is mesmerized by his dreams - action rarely follows. Unlike daydreaming or fantasizing, however, visualizing is a highly developed integrated skill that can aid the busy executive in positioning himself and his company for the future. When fully utilized, visualization ignites the fire of will and determination, and spurs the visionary into action. Executives who are visionaries are strategic players. Rather than being trapped in their roles, they are creators of their roles. They use the master skill of visualization to position themselves and their companies to take advantage of the opportunities that change brings with it.

Information Gathering
Creating a future of your choosing in business begins - in this case - with the information gathering stage. This initial stage of the process should be broken into steps that move you from general to specific conditions. The questions below will serve as your springboard to action.

• What trends are affecting our industry?
• What are our competitors doing?
• What is working and what is not?
• What does our customer want? How do they view what we have?
• How can we add value to the already existing product?
• Who are we as an organization? What is our purpose?
• What are our most important assets and skills? How can we take better advantage of them?
• What are the critical factors in the inner dynamics of the organization - that are working, and that are not working?

At this stage in the creative process, your purpose is to bring into light all hidden knowledge regarding the organization and its place in the larger society. This will increase your depth and understanding of the position you now hold so that the future you create will be a natural consequence of clarity and critical discernment combined with intuition and insight. As you are sifting through the information, be alert to key ideas, phrases, images and symbols. You are looking for new thoughts and feelings that excite you and ignite the spark of vision.

This entire process may take a few weeks, for it should be as thorough and comprehensive as possible. By the time you have finally sorted through the information and distilled it down to essentials, you will probably have had flashes of insight regarding the direction of your corporate future.

The Visualization Process Itself
Once finished with the homework, the fun part is about to begin. Set aside time and space for your process, only in this case the space should include a clean and clear desk with paper and pencil so that you can write down you vision as it comes to you. Start by getting comfortable, closing your eyes, and relaxing your body. Think first about your company's purpose. Using all of your inner senses, see, feel and hear that purpose within you. When it feels right, turn up the amplifiers, make the image brighter, the sounds louder, and the feelings more intense. When you feel really good and filled with purpose, turn your awareness, as if it were the lens of a camera, to the key ideas, thoughts, and images that struck you during the information gathering stage. Let your mink roam over the essentials, as if you were roaming over a field viewing the landscape.

At some point in your inner work, you will let go of the introspection, and move into pure projection. As you do, imagine yourself moving ahead one year in time. Then take that vision a step further to two years, then three, etc. Using your visual, aural and tactile modes, see, hear and feel yourself and your company in the new condition. Really get into it; instead of viewing the scene from a distance, enter it and do a walk-through, observing the changes in vivid detail. Again, when it feels really right, turn up the amplifiers so that the scene is larger than life.

When you feel complete, pick up your pencil and begin writing. As much as possible, write the vision in visual, aural and tactile terms. What did you see, hear and feel on your solitary inner journey? Write it as you experienced it. When you are finished, take a break and get away from the material for at least 24 hours.

Creating the Scenario
The next step in the fulfillment of the vision is also a written one. There are four areas to be covered in this creative process. Building the scenario is not to be confused with planning. The scenario is an active depiction of the vision. Its central focus is a question; what will get me there?

• Describe the company's philosophy, strategic direction and cultural values.
• Describe the best and worst, possible outcomes.
• Describe the key factors in implementing the vision that will determine its success or failure. Focus on people, finances, resources and expertise.
• Describe in sequence the logical progression of milestones that should occur during implementation.

Vision has a way of stimulating energies and catapulting them into action. With the vision and main scenario written, you are ready to begin with planning. Action will quickly and easily follow as creative imagination lights the spark and a quickening sense of purpose will naturally follow. By the nature of your diligence in portraying the vision and its scenario on paper, you have set the stage for success.

In Summary
In personal, as well as professional goals, to enhance your ability to visualize clearly, use the three-step process.
Firstly, gather the information that you need to make an effective decision about the future you want to create. This is an important phase in personal goals as well as professional goals. If, for example, your goal is to lose weight, first gather pictures of the look you would like to have. Then you might do some research about diet and health. Then, you might ask people who have lost weight what worked for them.

Secondly, do the visualization itself. Write down the key visual, aural, and tactile cues in the scene, and review and repeat the visualization often, for this will stabilize you in the new reality.

Finally, create your scenario for success. With a personal goal, write out the strategy for success just as you would with a professional goal.

Dr. Karl Pribram, sometimes called the Einstein of brain research, says that all of our actions are driven by images of achievement. In order to precipitate any behavioral or organizational changes, visualization is your master key to success. The universal law is simple: Attention + Energy, and where we put our attention is where we can obtain results.
NEW YOU!