The term “reason” was first coined by the Greek Philosopher, Thales, to indicate the degree of symmetry between one’s internal view of the world and the world itself.  One is said to be reasonable when his or her thinking is in line with reality and unreasonable when it is not.  By definition, reality is that which exists apart from human awareness.  So, whether or not someone is aware, reality is always at play.  It is the effective leader that constantly seeks an understanding of the realities that can impact the community’s ability to survive and to thrive.   

There are many ways a leader can lose touch with reality.  Whenever that happens, the community is at risk.  Failure to respond to emerging trends or actions taken based on false information can be devastating.  Leaders must continually gather information from multiple sources and perspectives to constantly cleanse themselves of misperceptions.  A leader’s ability to bring reason, or congruence with reality, is a key component to leading communities away from disaster and toward greater success.