Leadership with vision means dreaming big and believing you will bring your vision to life.  I admire people who have done this and made the commitment to do it because I’ve been struggling with my own vision for as long as I can remember.

I was just flipping channels a few days ago when I caught a glimpse of two talking heads on ESPN running down New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov for saying he wants to build an NBA dynasty.  I don’t remember the exact quotes, but “dreaming the impossible dream”, “wishful thinking”, and “how about just making the playoffs first come to mind.”  I guess those ESPN guys wouldn’t be very interesting if they supported Prokhorov and wished him good luck, now would they.

According to the NYDailyNews.com, when Prokhorov was asked what he told new head coach Avery Johnson during their first meeting, he said, “Just that we need to create a dynasty team.  That’s it, a very simple task.”  Now there’s one confident guy.

But wait, there’s more…

Prokhorov feels very confident about the rich crop of free agents available this off season.  He told ESPN this, “I feel pretty sure I can convince the best of the best that the Nets are the place they want to be,” he said.  Now just whom would he be talking about with that statement?  He went on to say that he wants the Nets to be in the playoffs next year and win a championship within 1-5 years.  No lack of ambition there.

So what’s his secret?

First of all is his vision.  Great leaders have it.  They visualize the destination like they’re standing right next to it…like it’s happened already.  Prokhorov’s vision is the Nets as basketball royalty.  The first global dynasty in basketball.  There may be the Lakers and Celtics but, worldwide, neither compares to the appeal of English soccer powerhouse Manchester United, for example.  Prokhorov wants his Nets to be basketball’s ManU.

Second is Prokhorov’s approach.  Every move he’s made has capitalized on his strengths and been consistent with his vision.  He knows basketball and he knows how to take a struggling organization and make it best in class. The turnaround he orchestrated at Norilsk Nickel, in his native Russia, is legendary.  This knowledge helps him to see the path from today to the coronation of the Nets as a basketball dynasty.

His first wise move was his choice of market.  New York is a top 2 media market and the epitome of America’s “melting pot.”  The TV, advertising and ticket revenue potential are tremendous.  What better jumping off point for a dynasty?

He admittedly wanted to buy the Knicks, but there were a few too many complications with that particular purchase, so he turned his attention to The Nets. Don’t get me wrong, people have already said plenty about the less than storied history of the franchise but winning makes folks forget awfully quick.  That brings up another great leadership quality of Prokhorov, his ability to adjust.  He put in this way in his news conference on June 16, “If you have Plan B and Plan C, you are all the time relaxed.”

His next great decision was starting the globalization process now with preseason games in China and 2 regular season games in London.  If you want to be global, you’ve got to play global.  Now if they just had a player with global appeal.  Wait a minute, I think one just might be available.  Prokhorov was referring to the “best of the best” and that currently is one  LeBron James.

Say what you will about the perceived chances of the Nets actually signing him.  Just think about it this way – surely LeBron can see the money-making and legacy-building potential of becoming the first global basketball icon since Michael Jordan.  Even if he doesn’t see it this time around he can always, as ESPN’s article on Prokhorov’s news conference suggests, sign a 4 year deal with another club with an opt-out clause after 3.  Don’t think Prokhorov doesn’t know that.

The final leadership quality I admire about Mikhail Prokhorov is that he knows who he is.  According to the ESPN article, he doesn’t Tweet.  He doesn’t even email, a secretary handles that for him.  “I am too old to learn to type, ” he jokes.  He writes his blog in longhand and doesn’t carry a cell phone.  Doesn’t work for me, but you can’t argue Prokhorov’s success.  He is the 39th richest man in the world, after all.

Ok, so a key leadership skill is the ability to create a vision and build a plan to get there.  The plan should contain contingencies because of things you just can’t control.  Top it all off with staying true to who you are.  The next big thing doesn’t have to be your next big thing.  Stick with what works.