Effective Leaders Anticipate Future Problems

An effective leader must possess the ability not only to deal with current problems, but also to anticipate future ones.
Describe a specific situation in which a leader might be effective without anticipating future problems. Discuss what you think determines whether or not it is necessary for a leader to anticipate future problems.
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Effective leaders are essential in moving forward organizations in a successful manner. These organizations run the gamut from small and large businesses to states and nations. The different type of organizations require specialized set of skills; however, the basic qualities of an effective leader are uniform across all spectrums. Some characteristics include, among others, the ability to work well with people, motivate others to complete company goals, and perform effectively under pressure. One other characteristic--the ability to anticipate future problems---is also essential for leading an organization.

Addressing only current problems without looking at the wider picture may bring problems in the future. Therefore, it is essential for leaders to be able to view a particular situation in its context--which may include background, short term, as well as long term implications. For instance, a businessman attempts to push forward a product in the most cost-efficient way possible. He must decide on quality, costs, and other factors. Some may choose to market lower quality products or bypass environmental regulations with the goal of increasing profits. When leaders solely dwell on the profit as the bottom line, major problems could occur in the future. This has recently been exemplified by the BP oil spill which devastated the Gulf area o f the United States. Leaders tried to save money and decided to not take certain precautionary measures that may have averted the accident.

Good leaders do not only take into account profit incentives. They also think carefully about how their actions may effect workers, the greater community and future generations. Oftentimes, taking into account the well-being of others and factors such as the environment will help companies save money, as well as their reputations, in the long term. Furthermore, leaders of big companies choose to engage in philanthropic work as a way to balance their profit incentives. They show their communities that they like to give back some of the profits they earned and show that they are morally responsible citizens.

In most cases, organizations will be best served by leaders that take a long term view of a situation. They not only think about present problems but also anticipate future ones. However, it may take a lot of time, effort, and money to anticipate and plan for future problems. Leaders, therefore, need to show that they can first take care of immediate problems. For example, leaders of nations need to ensure that the basic needs of their people (alimentation and shelter) are taken care of before investing in the future. However, once immediate needs are addressed, leaders must form a framework for taking into account more long-term and future issues.

A mark of an effective leader includes the ability to anticipate and address future problems. Leaders with a broad vision and the ability to analyze a situation from all angles will help avert disasters and improve the well being of future generations. However, there are situations when resources are tied up and the leader must address crucial short-term needs. In this case, he need not anticipate future problems until he solves the present problems.