SET THE VISION
WHY IT MATTERS
Leaders can’t lead until they have a vision for where they need to go, and a strong definition of the mission they are trying to achieve. They won’t acquire followers unless they can paint a picture of the future in a way that inspires other people to freely opt-in and help make it happen. They take their organization to places others haven’t even thought of yet. Leaders that set vision see the possibilities of what can be achieved, and have the ability to rally others around them to work towards a common goal. Leaders that can’t set a vision will never harness the collective power of the organization to do something extraordinary, because they fail to define where they are going or how they plan to get there.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that set a vision for the organization see vision as more than an obligatory leadership exercise. They see vision setting as aligning the shared energy of the organization to achieve a common purpose. They recognize that people want to be part of something larger than themselves. They look to the future, see possibilities, envision what could be, and turn what they see into words people connect with. They use vision to inspire unity, create alignment, give purpose, and provide focus. Their vision describes the end destination they hope to achieve.
Leaders that set vision have a clear perspective about the future. They know the direction the organization needs to go. In order to see the future clearly, they rely on more than just their natural inclinations, personal point of view, or instincts. They incorporate input from employees, feedback from customers, and the perspectives of other stakeholders. They rely on data, trends, reports, financials, and forecasts to paint the picture of what tomorrow might bring. They invite experts to help increase their perspective when needed.
Leaders that set the vision can capture tremendous amounts of feeling in very few words. They frame and discuss their vision in simple and memorable ways so people can understand it and remember it. They word-craft the vision in a way that creates excitement, provides meaning, paints a clear picture, and invites engagement.
Leaders that set a compelling vision for the organization make their vision actionable. They ensure the vision is real and concrete instead of being too distant, overly mystical, or out of reach. Because of the vision people are able to make better decisions about what matters most, where to spend their time, and how to focus their energy.
Leaders that set vision know that crafting a vision is only half their work. They know the real work comes in teaching and communicating the vision again and again. They know people rarely master something the first time. They resolve concerns about the vision, answer questions about it, and accept and respond to criticism. They ensure the organization clearly sees, feels, understands, and embraces the full meaning of the vision so they can turn it into reality
Leaders that set vision instill it into the culture of the organization through systems and processes. They mold the work environment and physical workplace to constantly remind people about the vision. They design the human resources and people systems of the organization to directly align to, reinforce, and reward vision achievement.
BELIEFS
SELF-REFLECTION
Leaders can’t lead until they have a vision for where they need to go, and a strong definition of the mission they are trying to achieve. They won’t acquire followers unless they can paint a picture of the future in a way that inspires other people to freely opt-in and help make it happen. They take their organization to places others haven’t even thought of yet. Leaders that set vision see the possibilities of what can be achieved, and have the ability to rally others around them to work towards a common goal. Leaders that can’t set a vision will never harness the collective power of the organization to do something extraordinary, because they fail to define where they are going or how they plan to get there.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that set a vision for the organization see vision as more than an obligatory leadership exercise. They see vision setting as aligning the shared energy of the organization to achieve a common purpose. They recognize that people want to be part of something larger than themselves. They look to the future, see possibilities, envision what could be, and turn what they see into words people connect with. They use vision to inspire unity, create alignment, give purpose, and provide focus. Their vision describes the end destination they hope to achieve.
Leaders that set vision have a clear perspective about the future. They know the direction the organization needs to go. In order to see the future clearly, they rely on more than just their natural inclinations, personal point of view, or instincts. They incorporate input from employees, feedback from customers, and the perspectives of other stakeholders. They rely on data, trends, reports, financials, and forecasts to paint the picture of what tomorrow might bring. They invite experts to help increase their perspective when needed.
Leaders that set the vision can capture tremendous amounts of feeling in very few words. They frame and discuss their vision in simple and memorable ways so people can understand it and remember it. They word-craft the vision in a way that creates excitement, provides meaning, paints a clear picture, and invites engagement.
Leaders that set a compelling vision for the organization make their vision actionable. They ensure the vision is real and concrete instead of being too distant, overly mystical, or out of reach. Because of the vision people are able to make better decisions about what matters most, where to spend their time, and how to focus their energy.
Leaders that set vision know that crafting a vision is only half their work. They know the real work comes in teaching and communicating the vision again and again. They know people rarely master something the first time. They resolve concerns about the vision, answer questions about it, and accept and respond to criticism. They ensure the organization clearly sees, feels, understands, and embraces the full meaning of the vision so they can turn it into reality
Leaders that set vision instill it into the culture of the organization through systems and processes. They mold the work environment and physical workplace to constantly remind people about the vision. They design the human resources and people systems of the organization to directly align to, reinforce, and reward vision achievement.
BELIEFS
- A vision is not just a set of flowery words, it is a tool to give a sense of purpose, direction, meaning, and energy to the organization.
- People will buy into what they can help create. The more you involve others in setting vision, the more they will embrace it.
- You need to teach the vision with conviction again and again until people truly “get it” and remember it.
- A vision isn’t a flowery description or a feel-good picture. It is a statement that can help guide real people’s real work.
- If your vision isn’t 100% “real” or actionable then don’t waste any more time on it.
- A vision is only as strong as the leader who holds onto it. If the leader falters in their pursuit of the vision, others will too.
- A vision can’t be born of random musings about the future. It needs to be based on data, insight, analysis, and sound thinking.
- To really work, a vision needs to be simple, short, and memorable. The greatest killer of vision statements is length and jargon.
- Engage the organization in creating the vision.
- Align the organization around the stated vision.
- Use others to help expand your perspective.
- Promote individual ownership of the vision.
- Have a definitive point of view on the future.
- Have a clear opinion about what needs to happen.
- Base the vision on data and facts, not just instincts.
- Articulate the vision in ways everyone understands.
- Make the vision as concrete and actionable as possible.
- Define the vision in terms of end results.
- Be passionate about the future and its possibilities.
- Make the vision memorable and identifiable.
- Anticipate new ideas, solutions, and possibilities.
- Ensure the vision is clearly understood at all levels.
- Use stories and metaphors to bring the vision to life.
- Be willing to adapt the vision if circumstances require it.
- Look continually through a long-term lens.
- Communicate the vision with power and conviction.
- Paint a compelling picture of future possibilities.
- Do not form your vision in a box or silo.
- Harvest the organization for ideas to help craft the vision.
- Make sure your vision isn’t too flowery or “soft.”
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I see vision setting as the foundation for all I do, or do I see it as an obligatory leadership exercise?
- Do I envision what someday could be, or do I get stuck and limited by my current reality?
- Do I have a clear and definitive opinion about the future, or do I struggle to see where to go next?
- Do I rely on multiple data points and perspectives to set the vision, or do I rely on my instincts too much?
- Do I create vision statements that are actionable, or do I create statement that are full of meaningless jargon?
- Do I put in place processes and systems to support the vision, or do I expect the vision to stand by itself?
- Do I share the vision every chance I get, or do I think that sharing it occasionally is sufficient?
- Do the people I work with feel passion about the vision, or do they see it as a nice piece of wall décor?
- Don’t set the vision so far out of reach of reality that people see it as more of a dream than an achievable goal.
- Don’t make the vision so fancy and flowery that people think it sounds good but lacks real and meaningful substance.
- Don’t think your job is over once you have a vision; it isn’t. Your job as a leader is to turn the vision into reality.
- I’ve always known what I want out of life.
- I prefer constant change over things staying the same.
- I enjoy figuring things out as I go.
- I know where I want to be in 10 years.
- I prefer to work in a think-tank.
- Before work begins, it’s easy for me to see the end result.