Have you ever worked with or been influenced by a leader who had a compelling vision for the organization? Did that leader’s visualization have a discernible bearing upon the organization’s ability to focus on its goals and objectives? And was the organization’s overall performance improved as a result?
An important part of a leader’s role is to provide a vision that paints a picture and lays out a roadmap of where the organization is going. At its best, that vision inspires and motivates, and can provide a compelling image of the future. A vision can create a climate of shared understanding, shared effort, and shared accountability for results. It can also align an individual’s own job responsibilities with the organization’s goals, creating a stronger sense of purpose and commitment that likely wouldn’t exist to the same extent otherwise.
In May, 1961, President John F. Kennedy spoke the following words to a Joint Session of Congress: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely.” Thus the efforts of thousands of engineers and planners, contractors and subcontractors, astronauts and administrators, and millions of dollars were directed toward the bold vision of a young American president. Hence, in July, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person ever to set foot upon the surface of the moon. He and fellow astronauts Buzz Aldren and Michael Collins safely returned to earth, fulfilling JFK’s goal.
So, how does a leader create and communicate a vision?
• Develop your own vision. It should be bold and challenging, yet realistic and achievable. Make sure it is consistent with and supportive of the company’s overall goals and objectives. Be certain that you can articulate it fully.
• Communicate it to your employees. Paint a compelling picture with words that everyone can comprehend. Understand that your own enthusiasm, passion, and sincerity, along with your own discernible confidence, will be keenly observed. Be sure that employees understand why the changes are necessary, the benefits to the company, and how their own actions and buy-in provide assurance that the goal(s) can be met.
• Act upon the it. Jack Welch, former Chairman and CEO of GE, said: “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate it, passionately own it, and relentlessly drive it to completion.” A leader’s vision is worth little or nothing unless something worthwhile is accomplished. Constantly reiterate the vision, measure the progress and close the gaps, and never cease to drive the results.
No organization can be completely successful without a clear vision of where it is going, along with some understanding of how it will get there. It is the job of the leader to provide and articulate it, along with the discipline and single-mindedness to push for the results.
All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.
