
Chance favors the prepared mind. “The prepared mind” is the characteristic of leaders who are outstanding in their talent to perceive, make sense, decide and act across a complex set of conditions. We also believe that “the prepared mind” is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of intentional preparation that requires developing eight mental skills regardless of your role.
How will you prepare for your tomorrow?
- You need the skill of observing because your world is more competitive. Execution-driven leaders often become so consumed by the pressures of running their projects and their organizations that they never pause to take a look at what’s going on around them. You may have mastered the core capabilities of your profession, and yet new technology might make these capabilities obsolete. List the capabilities you need to develop. Find a meaningful unifying purpose.
- You need the skill of reasoning because you need to reevaluate your assumptions. Data are useless without the skills to analyze them, reason, and make meaning of them. For example, are you thinking big enough? Take your situation and think bigger. Reasoning can complement problem-solving skills that you already have with a methodical approach to use with moral, ethical, organizational, or technical problems.
- You need the skill of imagining because you need alternatives to keep yourself sharp. Imagination is not a trait that we inherit in our genes or a blessing bestowed by the angels. It’s a skill. Be curious about everything—the world is full of amazing wonders for you to learn about. Creativity is at the heart of innovation. To improve this skill, list three combinations that would create something new and useful for you. Name one thing that you think you are too old to start. Are you really too old?
- You need the skill of challenging because expertise breeds conservatism. Challenging a group’s willingness to go with the first right answer can be major barrier to unleashing full creative potential. To improve the skill of challenging, list the constraints imposed on you. Who has already dealt with them? What did they do? What could you do?
- You need the skill of learning because new opportunities abound. Improved learning skills—concentrating, reading, and listening, remembering, using time, and more—are directly useful and will continue to pay dividends for a long time. What don’t you know that you should? List technologies, practices, or events that might provide insight. Learn about the future by studying some history. Also, list some mistakes or failures from your past. What did you learn from them?
- You need the skill of deciding because every decision has consequences, and no decision is a decision. Every solution brings about its own set of new problems. No leader knows enough about the future to make the most favorable decision every time, but it’s better to set a clear direction today and confront problems that crop up tomorrow. It’s not being afraid to fail; and if you do, identify it quickly and more ahead fast so no momentum is lost.
- You need the skill of enabling because all of us are smarter than any one of us, and “they” need the knowledge, means, and opportunity to help you reach your goals. Who needs your help, and how can they help you? Provide opportunities—delegate. Ensure that outcomes, actions and questions are properly recorded and actioned, and appropriately dealt with afterwards.
- You need the skill of reflecting because you learn more from understanding the reasons for your success and failure than you do from studying someone else’s best practices. Take a current problem and list possible answers. Now think like a beginner by asking dumb questions. Reflect on those questions and answers. The greatest strength of reflective leaders is their thoughtful and attentive nature, which means tremendous persistence to listen and take in information, the ability to connect the dots and garner eye-opening insights, and deep trust in their instinct, creativity, and thinking process.
Many leaders seem so besieged with their current workload that telling they prepare for the future may seem unreasonable. By preparing today to meet tomorrow’s challenges, they can set in motion a new leadership paradigm, one that will help leaders better cope with today.
Prepare your mind and then use your mind wisely. Leaders who focus on those eight basics will be prepared to encounter the unknowable challenges that lie ahead.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)

Capital:
A Shot of Culture:
Surf’s Up: If your beach bum-turn-surfer self is calling out to you, head to
A Whole New World: The
Fall Off the Grid:
An Active Getaway: Climb to the top of the overwhelming
Retail Therapy: Indulge yourself in
Hop About: Head to the pristine islands off the coast at gorgeous
Be Bucolic: Get a taste of the Filipino countryside and spend some time amid
Get High: You could be forgiven for thinking you are in Scotland when you visit
Life’s a Feast: You will have a great time going on an eating binge in the Philippines, especially if you love meat. Pork, in particular, plays a big role in the cuisine here, and a 
In the Hindu mythology, the nagas reside within the earth in an aquatic 


Capital:
Architecture 101: Former capitals are full of old glory and great architecture, and
Hunt for Bargains: The
It’s All Rice: Rice, in all its forms, is a staple in the distinctive cuisine of Myanmar.
Get a Bird’s Eye View: Climb up
Row, Row, Row Your Boat: Surrounded by greenery and marshes, cool morning mists, villages of houses on stilts and floating gardens, the
Art Lessons:
Wander through Ruins:
Pagoda Sunsets: Make your way up to the
Find Your Spiritual Side: Go forth and find your holy spirit at
I am with Stupa: Sagaing lies along the 



.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)

Capital:
Get Your Cocoa On: ‘Monggo’ is Javanese for ‘please, go ahead’ and when you taste these
Dive into the Deep: Far away and remote, the sparkling clear emerald green waters of the
Truly In-spired: Huge temples in rice fields seem to be South East Asia’s thing, and, just like
Tail Tales: Watch out for forked, snake-like tongues on
Shop Your Way through Seminyak: Glitzy
Misty Mountaintops: Climb up the
Art it Up: As you saw in
Eat Your Heart Out: If you will come back missing something, all bets are on the food.
Go Local: Just east of Bali, the islands of
Of Coffee and Rhinos: Java has a fair bit going for it. Surrounded by the 
Trivia Question: What was unusual about the
Trivia Question: What insect was the term “
Trivia Question: What was the input device aboard the
Trivia Question: Do the “
Trivia Question: What is Microsoft’s longest-lived