Today I woke up and wandered to my computer, thinking about all I had to do. I was feeling a little off but thought I would just jump right into my work. After answering a few dozen emails and feeling really proud of myself, as if I was right on track, I looked around the office and thought, "Oh my! I'm in the dark!"

There I was, sitting at my desk typing away, and I had failed to turn on any lights in my office. I hadn't bothered to open the curtains either. And, I was sitting in the dark.

It occured to me that at that moment, it was just me, my thoughts and my laptop, clicking away. And, so I turned on a few lights and threw open the curtains, and a whole new perspective was born. I could see better.

Being in the dark is a funny thing. If you aren't aware that you're in the dark, you may not be aware of the effect this is having on you and your organization.

I believe organizational leadership deals with this challenge more often than they realize. Some business owners and managers operate in a vaccuum. They make decisions completely unaware of what is going on in the world around them. They're in the dark on what truly matters most, affecting their people and their bottom line.

So, what is the solution? Start by turning on the lights. Look around, who are your change agents at work and in your life? Who are the people who are capable of speaking honestly about the direction the company is headed (the #1 leadership characteristic), regardless of the consequences? And, then ask yourself, are you willing to listen? (Disclaimer: People who complain or fail to bring solutions are NOT your champions of change.)