From Rookie Leaders to CEOs: A Key Component for Success is a Well-Crafted Vision
What happens when entrusted leaders don’t take the time to develop well-designed visions for impactful projects or organizational direction? Consider the following illustration.
One summer day, a group of five colleagues and I decided to go for a morning hike in the Texas Hill Country. We plan to complete it before the sun shines at noon and prepare accordingly. Because our leader had walked it before, we were confident that he had a plan.
After an hour, we reached the top of the mound. As we descended, some members of the group decided to circle the mountain at its base. We all moved on, believing that our group leader knew how far around the base it would be and how long it would take to walk.
It turned out that he had no idea.
After three or four miles, we began to ask how long it would take before we reached our original starting point. Not seeing an end, or rather a starting point in sight, we begin to feel fear; our leader was lost, we had no compass, the sun was blazing, and we were overheated, thirsty, and hungry.
Worse still, our group had lost faith in its leader. We no longer trusted him to get us to safety. Of one thing we were sure: we had gotten into a bad situation from which none of us knew how to get out.
Fortunately, hours later, the six of us returned safely from a hike that was supposed to cover designated territory in a period of time acceptable to all. In the end, our expectations were dashed. We got lost, walked more than we were prepared for, and weren’t prepared to deal with the increasing heat. The expected enjoyment turned into a frustrating, even dangerous, experience for everyone.
This is exactly what happens when entrusted leaders don’t take the time to develop well-crafted visions for impactful projects or organizational direction. They lead organizations and people in a direction that results in a bad situation for everyone. When leaders move forward without clearly defining where they are going or how long it will take them to get there, without provisions, or with a clear outcome in mind, the results are confusion, fear and doubt, and a general mistrust of leadership.
Without a well-planned vision of the journey and the desired outcome, neither the leader nor the organization can foresee the challenges of the road ahead or the solutions to those challenges, and therefore cannot equip themselves with the tools they need to be successful.
It does not have to be this way.
When a new leader – be it a front-line manager or CEO – takes command, they must create and communicate their vision as a critical first step to the success of the organization.
If you lead people, no matter how many or at what level, you need to have a well-planned vision of where you want to take your organization and communicate that idea effectively. A tangible vision lays the foundation for success and drives the strategy that will be implemented to achieve success.
A clear and well-crafted vision can help avoid unnecessary pitfalls by providing four key components of successful leadership initiatives:
1 direction. A vision provides direction for the leader and the organization. It allows people to focus, prioritize and plan ahead to successfully overcome any obstacles that may arise.
2.Purpose. People like to know that their work is meaningful. They want to feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves. A vision helps them see how their efforts fit into the big picture and how they are helping to bring the company vision to life.
3. Empowerment. When people understand where the organization is going, they are better able to make the right decisions that help the organization successfully reach its destination.
4. Stability. People fear uncertainty. Without a clear and well-communicated vision, people in the organization are constantly forced to change direction. With a tangible vision in place and made public, people know that things won’t change overnight, creating in people a sense of accomplishment and meaning in their work. A vision statement is a commitment leaders make to their employees about how they plan to lead them to success.
To develop a well-crafted vision, follow these six tips:
1. Understand that the vision is the foundation for the success of the organization and your own.
2. Align the vision with the fundamental values of the company.
3. Solicit input from organization members, customers, and other stakeholders or shareholders. A vision must emerge from the collective interests of all those involved (Northouse, 2010).
4. Something big! Where do you see the organization in five to ten years (Barrow, Kaplan & Norton, 2008)?
5. Create a vision that is aspirational, inspiring, and measurable (Barrow, Kaplan & Norton, 2008).
6. Create a vision that can be easily understood by all and communicated effectively.
Having a vision for an organization is like having a compass on a walk. It provides the leader and his followers with a tool to see where their true north is and stay on course. It enables leaders at all levels and their followers to make the right strategic, operational, and tactical decisions that are aligned with the direction the organization wants to go.
Sources:
Barrow, EA, Kaplan, RS and Norton, DP (2008, January-February). Develop the strategy; Vision, Value Gaps and Analysis. Balance Scorecard, 10 (1), 1-5.
Northouse, PG (2010). Theory and practice of leadership. Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.
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