Creating a Compelling Vision- Mistakes to Avoid

The two common mistakes that companies make with regard to their vision that keep them from reaching their potential are (1) the failure to clearly articulate a vision and (2) the failure to communicate the vision effectively.

There’s another huge mistake that can derail all the efforts you may make to overcome the first two mistakes. It’s failing to make sure that all employees’ activities support and are in alignment with the vision. 

Once a compelling vision is developed the next step is to create a mission. The mission is the short-term view of the vision. What can be accomplished in the next year that will support the vision?  From there, you will want to determine the critical success factors. These are usually four to eight key factors that are both necessary and sufficient to realize your company’s Mission.   Then SMART goals (Specific Measurable Achievable Realistically High and Time Bound) should be set to meet the Critical Success Factors and then broken down into Action Steps that spell out who does what by when.

The big mistake that most companies make is that often the action steps of some goals are out of alignment with the Vision.

You see, your employees need to understand your expectations and receive your feedback. They need to understand the Vision and how their role plays a part in it.

How To Communicate A Compelling Vision

Once you’ve determined your vision, there are six key elements needed to effectively communicate it.

• Keep it simple. Eliminate trite expressions, techno-gobble, or jargon.
• Use metaphors, analogies and examples. Paint verbal pictures so people can picture and visualize where they are going.
• Use multiple forums. Utilize big and small meetings, memos, articles, as well as formal and informal interactions.
• Incorporate repetition. Ideas sink in deeply only after they have been heard many times.
• Lead by example. Behavior must be consistent with the vision since we believe what we see more than what we hear.
• Give and take. Two-way communication is always more powerful than one-way communication. Listen and be listened to. By listening, you may find out about a better route, a short cut on your journey.

What a Compelling Vision Needs to Be

Creating an effective vision is no simple task. A vision should be succinct, clear, and exciting. It should guide the organization and everyone in it while leaving wide latitude to pursue new opportunities.  The vision is a statement of your department/company’s potential; of what your department/company can become. When your vision is effectively communicated to all employees, it should provide a common focus and direction.

An effective and “Compelling Vision” will be:

• Based on an insightful analysis of the present situation facing the organization
• Appealing to deep desires of those who work within the organization
• A clear statement of the motivating force that drives the organization forward
• Achievable

Creating a Compelling Vision- The First Step to Great Leadership

As a leader in your organization, part of your job is to get the other people that you work with on the bus.  (Getting the right people on the bus and in the right seats is a discussion topic for another time)

Some people may eagerly hop on the bus. Others will probably be more hesitant. They’ll ask things like, “Where is the bus going?” Don’t you think they should know where you’re taking them? Think about it. If you were to go to the bus station and ask a bus driver, where is this bus going? And the bus driver replied, “We’re going to drive around a bit, but there’s no set destination. We’ll see how the trip goes and play it by ear.”  That is probably not the bus you want to hop on.  Well, that’s how your people feel when you haven’t determined where you are taking your company and where they’re headed on the company bus.

So, the first thing you’ll have to do as the company bus driver is pick a destination.  One of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to shape and communicate the vision to everyone in their organization.   A simple and understandable vision is essential since delegation to and empowerment of your people depends on a shared understanding of the organizational purpose. A vision should honor the past but prepare for the future. Most importantly, a vision must be “lived.” If your vision is not “lived” every day in every way, it will be hollow and empty. It will not empower anyone. In fact, it may do more harm than good. And you’ll find more people not wanting to ride on your bus.

Strategies for Planning

In my last blog I focused on the fundamentals of time management.   Many of you commented that you are still working on implementing your New Year’s resolutions.   Below I would like to share with you some strategies for making things happen!  Try a few out and let me know how it goes.

• Determine  your best time of day to plan
• Write your plan in command form (Go, Do, Call)
• Write one item per line
• Prioritize your goals and activities
• o   Schedule appointments, phone calls, planning time
• o   Define the Must Do’s/Should Do’s
• o   Keep an ongoing To Do List
• Resolve each “planned” item at the end of each day
• Review your goals daily or weekly. Adjust activities to achieve the goals.
• Update your plan

Time Management is not a Time Management Issue; it is a Goals Clarification Issue!