ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on how leaders decide what is most important to accomplish with their scarce time and resources. First they must assess their organizations, themselves, and their priorities; only then can they decide what to achieve. Global assessments help leaders set agendas, balance time, and focus special efforts. At the heart of assessment is asking the right questions. As Oakley and Krug opine, “The single most valuable tool within any renewing organization is skillfully asked effective questions” (1991, 166). Furthermore, nothing is more fundamental to leading-showing or clarifying the way-than selecting and prioritizing goals. Yet this seemingly straightforward task is difficult for three reasons. First, leaders have incredible demands on their time. Second, organizations have limited resources. Finally, the process of formulating good goals with appropriate priorities is simply not as easy as it looks.
