Sep
24
The three key components of a compelling vision…
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An article "The Vision Thing: Without It You’ll Never Be a World-Class Organization" by Ken Blanchard and Jesse Stoner discuss the three critical factors exhibited by all world-class organisations:
- Clear vision and direction championed by top management
- Trained and equipped people focused on implementation of the agreed-upon vision and direction
- Established recognition and positive consequence systems that sustain the behaviors and performance that the vision and direction require
In their article they focus on the importance of a clear vision for leaders and their organisations, making the following observations:
- Vision and direction are essential for greatness. In world-class organizations, every-one has a clear sense of where the enterprise is going.
- Vision helps people make smart choices be-cause their decisions are being made with the end result in mind. As goals are accomplished, the answer to “What next?” be-comes clear. Vision takes into account a larger picture than the immediate goal.
- Vision is important for leaders because leadership is about going somewhere. If you and your people don’t know where you are going, your leadership doesn’t matter.
- Without a clear vision, an organization be-comes a self-serving bureaucracy. The top managers begin to think “the sheep are there for the benefit of the shepherd.” All the money, recognition, power, and status move up the hierarchy, away from the people closest to the customers, and leadership begins to serve the leaders and not the organization’s larger purpose and goals.
- When people share and believe in a vision of what the organization can be, they generate tremendous energy, excitement, and passion. They feel they are making a difference. They build a strong reputation for excellent products and services. They know what they are doing and why. There is a strong sense of trust and respect. Managers don’t try to control. They let others assume responsibility because they know everyone shares the vision and is clear about their goals and direction. Everyone assumes responsibility for their own actions. They take charge of their future rather than passively waiting for it to happen. There is room for creativity and risk taking.
Three Key Components of a Compelling Vision….
A real vision statement reveals what business a company is in. It identifies not just the products or services offered, but the company’s core reason for existence—its purpose. It focuses organizational energy. A real vision statement provides broad guidelines for how to proceed in fulfilling the organization’s purpose, and a real vision statement offers clear pictures of what success looks like. We have found three elements that constitute a compelling vision:
- Significant purpose: What business are you in? Purpose is your organization’s reason for existence. It answers the question “Why?” rather than just explaining what you do. It clarifies—from your customer’s viewpoint—what business you are really in…… Great organizations have a deep and noble sense of purpose—a significant purpose—that inspires excitement and commitment. When work is meaningful and connected to what we truly desire, we are able to unleash a productive and creative power we never imagined.
- A picture of the future: What will the future look like if you are living according to your purpose? A picture of the end result should not be vague. It should be something you can actually see…… Your picture should focus on the end result, not the process for getting there.
- Clear values: How do you want people to behave when they are working according to your purpose and on your picture of the future? Values provide guidelines on how you should proceed as you pursue your purpose and picture of the future. They answer the questions, “What do I want to live by?” and “How?” They need to be clearly described so you know exactly what behaviors demonstrate that the value is being lived. They need to be consistently acted on or they are only good intentions……. Most organizations that do have values either have too many values or they are not rank ordered. Research shows that people can’t focus on more than three or four values or those values will not really have an impact on behavior. Also, values must be rank ordered to be effective. Why? Because life is about value conflicts. When these conflicts arise, people need to know which value they should focus on.
"A vision is compelling when it helps people understand what business they’re really in, provides a picture of the desired future, and offers value guidelines that help people make daily decisions."
A clear and compelling vision for a leaders and their organisations is of vital importance. Looking at these three components of a compelling vision. How compelling is your vision? How compelling is the vision to those who work for you? How compelling is the vision for your organisation? Is it alive? Is it lived daily? Is it talked about? Is it being passionately pursued?
Technorati Tags: Vision, Leadership, Purpose, Future, Management, Business, Values, Success
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5 Responses to “The three key components of a compelling vision…”
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The article is actually at http://www.leadertoleader.org/knowledgecenter/L2L/winter2004/blanchardandstoner.html
Simon,
Thanks for the update.
It’s also important to (visibly demonstrably obviously) connect the vision to a measurable outcome, that everyone agrees is important and connects directly to that outcome with an easily followed lanyanrd. I’ve seen a lot of good visions that didn’t have a line — even a dotted one — right to the desired outcome. I knew it was there but it wasn’t obvious to those of us without the “vision” or without paranormal abilities. Thanks for a great post.
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