An azimuth is defined as an angular measurement between an observer and a point of interest. It’s a concept used in navigation, astronomy, engineering, mapping, mining, and artillery. In business, it can be seen as the measurement between where you are today and where you want to be tomorrow. An effective leader must decide that direction for his or her organization. Otherwise, as the old saying goes, “if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there”.

Where is your azimuth? Have you set one for your company or organization?

America’s Founding Fathers were Level Five leaders. They stated, believed, and followed the azimuth set forth in the Declaration of Independence – which has been described by historian David Armitage as “the birth certificate of the American nation” – and, against incredible odds, won America’s independence from what was then the most powerful country on Earth. The Founding Fathers had a clearly stated mission which, through their exemplary vision, they saw to the end.

You don’t need to found a country to recognize the importance of a clearly stated end goal. Having a clear objective is important in all things, as it’s all too easy to get distracted by the unimportant minutia and subsequently become focused on the wrong things. An azimuth is more than a casual statement; it needs to be something you have in writing that you can clearly communicate throughout your ranks.