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[1] “Why did you ask me to watch the video on leadership?” asked Lyonel Fritsch at the start of the second day we met this week, referring to the video [What is Leadership? How to Exercise Leadership? | Thumoslang Vocabulary | S2E4](v=UqPpQcHxthU).
[2] First, consider the following Thumoslang thumbnail definitions.
- Purpose; that means, value to others.
- Destination; that means, the ultimate purpose.
[3] For an extended depiction of purpose as a concept, read Chapter 7, What is the Content of the Character?
[4] Why do you want to reach Seattle, as opposed to San Diego, at the end of your road trip from Boston? Participants might want to avoid riding through regions that tend to have hot weather in the summer. The ultimate value of Seattle to riders is to minimize the chances of dealing with hot temperatures.
- Aimed; that means, toward a point.
- Target; that means, aimed destination.
- Goal; that means, a reachable target.
- Operation; that means, planned activity.
- Mission; that means, goal-oriented operations.
[5] Seattle is a destination, but road-trip takers want to aim at the Space Needle as a more specific destination. Their goal is to have a meal at the SkyCity Restaurant near the top of the tower. To reach the target, participants must carry out planned activities, each covering one stage of the trip. The first stage is going West on I-95 until you see I-287 West after Connecticut. Driving is an operation. Taking a detour for a different sightseeing experience is another operation. You accomplish the mission when you complete all operations applicable to the destination.
- Vision; that means, a future destination.
- Dream; that means, a desire thoughtful but not soon plausible.
[6] The road trip is a dream if you are about to die but never leave Somalia. Suppose you are a Computer Science student at Brown University wanting to work for Microsoft after graduation. In that case, Seatle might be a good label for your vision.
- Permanent; that means, forever after appearance.
- Eternal; that means, no temporal limits.
- Perpetual; that means, endless repetition.
[7] When an arrow hits its target, the target is no longer a destination for the arrow but its location. A goal is not permanent because it disappears when you reach it. The first man on the moon is a goal reachable only once.
[8] On the other hand, a vision is a permanent goal because its realization is neither eternal nor perpetual. Conditions may arise to undo the realization of your vision. Mission accomplished does not guarantee the permanent realization of your vision. A thriving city on the moon is a vision, but it cannot stay thriving on the moon without further work on it.
- History; that means, chronologically connected events.
- Leadership; that means, being ahead and part of history.
- Pioneer; that means, unexplored territory.
- Invention; that means, never been made.
[9] If you’re the first to explore the moon, you’re a pioneer. Likewise, if you’re the first to create a spaceship, you’re an inventor. If you’re the first to observe, you’re a scientist. Pioneers, inventors, and scientists are history-makers because they connect their discoveries with earlier events.
[10] If you have a vision for the people of Mars, you’re a visionary, but you’re not their leader; being ahead of history does not make you a leader. Elon Musk is a visionary for the people of Mars, but he is not their leader.
[11] To become their leader, you must also live on Mars. To become their leader, you must also be part of their history. That’s impossible without a vision, a future destination as a permanent goal for the people of Mars.
[12] The leader of Mars may carry out Elon Musk’s vision without being its originator. You must not be the originator of the vision you use to lead a group.
[13] What’s your vision for a better world? What actions will you take to help your followers make the envisioned history? Do you want to become a visionary, a leader, or both, for a better world? A leader must take the vision-based action and use help from followers to make the envisioned history to become a leader.
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