This article first appeared in the August, 2002 edition of the Jacksonville Business Journal
In my last column I talked about how to recognize the need for change. This month we will talk about getting started. It all begins with vision.
Leadership Development
With the many ways of describing leadership how do we answer the question "Can leaders be developed?" And the next question is even more difficult: "If leadership can be developed, how do we do it?" Both questions challenge senior management in building leadership competence and depth.
Establishing an inspiring vision is one of your most important responsibilities as a leader. Good visions are compelling They energize people and drive organizations. Sam Walton's vision turned a run-of-the-mill department store into one of the largest retail giants in America. Ray Kroc's vision turned a small fast food hamburger chain into the "golden arches" known around the globe. Steve Jobs' vision turned a garage project into the first commercial personal computer in the world.
Great leaders are known for their vision. John Kennedy, Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, Gandhi and Winston Churchill are examples of personal visions that have inspired action - even greatness - in others.
But vision doesn't only happen on grand scales. It happens every day people commit to a common dream. Every house being built by Habijax is a vision in action. Every volunteer program with inspired people working together for a common dream is vision in action. Every time people start a new business - excitedly working endless hours - you are witnessing vision in action.
Emotional Appeal
Following are the characteristics of a vision:
- A vision is created by leaders. It is not created by a committee or by the masses. It is not decided by a vote. It is created by a single leader or a leadership team who then share it with others and build commitment.
- A vision is a picture of the future that people can see. It is beyond today's reach but it's more than an impossible dream. With commitment and work it can be achieved.
- A vision has emotional appeal. It matters. People get excited when they talk about it. They care about it and they care about helping each other reach it.
- A vision is supported with enough depth and information so that everyone understands how their work contributes to the broader vision.
- A vision has enough clarity so that people are empowered to make day-to-day decisions, knowing that their actions are helping to achieve the vision.
Don't Be Bland
These are not characteristics of a vision:
- A vision is not a statement filled with bland words that sound good on a plaque but have no meaning. It is tangible and unique to your organization.
- A vision is positive - not negative. Visions to "beat the competition" don't sustain positive action.
- A vision is not a mission or a goal. Goals are important and they drive short term action - they help move us toward a vision. They are not the vision itself.
- A vision is NOT expressed in numbers. A financial target is not a vision. It is the result of a vision fulfilled.
Vision in Action
I was recently working with a company that had a very powerful CEO. He developed a vision statement and proudly presented it to his senior team. Everyone politely nodded their heads in agreement - but it was not generating any excitement or action.
So he asked a small group from the senior team if they would review the vision and come back with any suggested changes. They did. And the CEO blew up. How dare anyone change his vision? Then we went through the process of reviewing it - slowly and painfully taking every sentence apart and putting it back together again until we had understanding and buy-in from the whole team.
Then they moved toward action: If this is our vision, what are the key strategies that we need to turn it into reality? What major initiatives must we establish and fund? Eleven core strategies were identified to turn the vision into reality.
This senior team now became so excited that they personally presented the vision and strategies to the entire company, in small groups of 25-30 people. 1500 employees participated in 50 meetings. The result was astonishing. First, they got lots of feedback that helped refine their own thinking. Second, people at all levels started to shift their own actions toward the vision. Now - 4 months later - this company's performance and financial results are exceeding all their projections for the year.
Do you have a vision for your company? Have you shared it with others - invited their comments - and built the "vision community" committed to work together to achieve it? Have you translated the vision into specific achievable goals and strategies?
Vision is not fluff. A good vision is meaningful, inspires employees and drives goal-oriented action. Vision without action remains a dream unfulfilled. Action without vision spins the wheels in neutral. Vision with aligned action can change your world.
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