As a business owner or leader, you know at some level, that a clear and compelling vision for what you hope to create with your business, team, or department is important. Done well, your vision will create a magnetic force that consciously and subconsciously draws you and your team toward it.
If you’re like many people, however, a gap exists between understanding the importance of a vision and knowing how to create one. In the space below, I clarify what vision is and is not and share five key elements of an effective one. I also share tips from my own experience writing visions that you may find useful. If, after you’ve reviewed the information below, you think seeing an example would be helpful, I offer an inside look at the vision I wrote for my own business and coaching practice that I am happy to share with you.
Vision: What it is and is not
For starters, your vision is not a vision statement or mission statement. That’s not to say these aren’t important or valuable. They can be. It’s just that vision statements seldom produce any sustainable energy. A well-conceived and well-written vision, however, will produce an abundance of sustainable energy and the strategic direction we often hope to get from a vision statement.
A vision is a clear and compelling story from the future that beckons us. It includes descriptors and vivid details that create an indelible image in the mind of the reader. It’s an image of what life will look like, who will be involved and affected, how things will be different, and the impact created at a chosen point in the future.
Five Elements of Vision
To begin creating your own vision, Robert Anderson and William Adams offer five key elements of vision in their book, (Mastering Leadership, 2016). In my own experience with writing visions, I have found these elements to be on the money. My comments are italicized.
Vision is personal – Vision flows from our personal commitment to a higher purpose. “[It’s] a picture of how that purpose wants to actualize in meaningful and tangible ways. Vision describes the specific direction our soul longs to go.”
To get at this “personal” element, I like to take some time away and sit with the question, “What wants to happen through me or through my business?” Then, as thoughts begin to rise within me in response to this question, I’ll jot them down for later reference. I’ve found that it’s important to stay with the question and not run with the first couple thoughts that arise. I like to let the question percolate.
Vision is specific – “It is specific enough that we would recognize it when we realize it. For vision to be useful, it needs to be specific enough to set direction, focus strategy, drive action, and guide decision-making.”
Be careful here. I’ve found it tempting to write in vague generalities that sound nice but mean little. A phrase like, “we provide world-class service,” is ineffectual compared to “I am deeply honored that our customer service has been voted “best in class” by our community three years in a row.”
Vision is strategic (but it’s not strategy) – “Strategy charts the course of how to get from wherever we are to the vision. Vision is . . . a description of the organization, as we most want it to exist at some point in the future. It is strategic because it sets a direction that enables [us] to excel in [our] current environment and well into the future.”
Vision is lofty “It captures our highest aspirations for our lives and work. It is unashamedly spiritual and fundamentally imaginative. A lofty vision grabs us at a deeper level than does the promise of profit or market share. It appeals to our deepest values, higher aspirations, and personal purposes. A lofty vision makes the pursuit of it meaningful and worthwhile, worthy of our deep commitment. It magnifies the creative capacity of the organization by drawing people into alignment.”
Yes! When I say a well-conceived vision creates a magnetic force, this element is the single biggest determinant of whether your vision will pull you and those around you forward. People can accomplish amazing things and they will give inspiring effort in service to work that matters. Your vision, lofty or not, will tip your hand as to whether you are up to something important or simply playing it safe.
Vision is collective “Vision catalyzes alignment. By expressing vision, the leader causes others to reflect on what they stand for. It is difficult to remain neutral in the presence of strong, visionary leadership. If we then engage in conversation about our individual aspirations, we find common ground. We enable the true purpose and vision of the organization to rise to the surface.”
Note the distinction here. A team does not create the vision from a blank page (i.e., group-think). Rather, the vision begins with the business owner or leader and then is shared with the group for refinement and strengthening. When team members have an opportunity to speak into the vision, they also have an opportunity to buy in or opt-out.
Finally, I have found the most powerful visions are written in a present-tense, narrative style, as though you are already at that date in the future, and you are observing your vision as the current reality on that day. The effect of this future-as-present approach is what Anderson and Adams, in their second book, (Scaling Leadership, 2019) call “generative tension.” This is the tension that exists when there is a gap between where we are today and where we imagine ourselves going or who we’re becoming. As humans, we consciously and subconsciously work to resolve this tension, thereby moving us ever closer to our preferred future.
I’ve created and written my vision for many things including my business, my health, and this article. I’ve found the practice to be highly meaningful and effective and believe you will too. Give it a try, have fun with it, and even more importantly, allow yourself and others to be inspired by it. A compelling vision is a powerful force.