Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world. ~Joel A. Barker
Casting vision is a hallmark of good leadership. Too often, people will have a vision for their company and work simply to get others on board with it. This can be done successfully, but it has limitations. The best way to truly unlock potential is to make sure that you are creating a shared vision first and foremost. You want your people to talk about it in terms of ‘we’ and ‘our’, emphasizing they have equity in the outcome. Community is the key component to creating vision.
Every lasting community chooses a problem first, not a solution. If you can create a compelling problem, then it will allow others who also recognize the issue of interest to join together and work to solve it. Start with the heart. Search your soul and ask yourself, “What do we want to be known for?” This helps clarify purpose so that people have the opportunity to either opt-out or opt-in to this vision and rally enthusiastically around it.
Make no mistake—this isn’t easy. Vision is about helping others see things that they are unable to grasp currently. It’s putting one foot down in the future and documenting with clarity that which doesn’t exist. Unfortunately, there are plenty of organizations operating with a mission but lack a clear vision. They’re motivated to make a difference, but they can’t give you the details and specifics of the future. Good leaders exercise this step within their own lives. Do you have a vision for your life? What does the next decade look like and what do those specifics entail? How do you look at your today now in light of your desired future? The answers to these questions will define your personal success.
Finally, good leaders are repeaters (good leaders are repeaters😊) . Good leadership requires staying on message and repeating it in compelling ways to make sure your team remains inspired. A once-a-year vision retreat isn’t enough. A vision that’s not being repeated and reinforced will be quickly forgotten. If you apply focus and discipline to the shared vision, then people won’t be coming to work for just a paycheck. As a good leader, you will have a team coming to work with a purpose!