A Compelling Vision...Setting the Direction

Having a compelling shared vision is an essential for success in any organization or business.  It is essential to ensure that everyone is heading in the same direction with a common set of goals and priorities.  One of the definitions of "vision" comes from Burt Nanus, an expert on the subject.  He defines vision as "a realistic, credible, attractive future for an organization." 

• Realistic - A vision must be based in reality to be meaningful to an organization.
• Credible - The vision must be believable to the employees and members of the organization (key stakeholders) if they are to buy into it.
• Attractive - The vision must be attractive in order to inspire and motivate others to achieve a level of excellence in pursuit of the vision.
• Future - A vision defines the future desired state and provides positive direction. 

A vision should describe a set of ideals and priorities.  A vision is a guiding principle that defines the direction of an organization or program. It keeps us focused on the bigger picture and should create a tangible, vivid image.  A compelling vision stirs passion within.  Some of the characteristics and benefits of a vision include:

• It is where we see ourselves/our program/our organization in the future
• Affects how we make decisions
• Affects how we spend our time
• Creates consequences
• Must be clearly and ceaselessly communicated
• Should be compelling and forcible
• Anchored in organizational reality
• Helps us transcend barriers and limitations
• Becomes a motivating factor
• Creates passion, imagination and creativity
• Establishes a standard of excellence

Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychologist who survived the concentration camps of Nazi Germany in WWII.  He observed and documented what made it possible for some people to survive the experience while others died.  The most significant factor in survival was having a compelling future-oriented vision.  The primary factor in the survival and success of an organization is having a collective or shared compelling vision.

Many people throughout history have shared their vision for the future.  The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shared his "I Have A Dream" speech on August 28, 1963.  This is an example of how one man's dream became a shared vision of a nation.   To turn a vision into a shared vision there are certain things that must be included to enlist others to buy into the "dream."

In my next blog I will expand on developing a shared vision and guidelines for evaluating a vision statement. 

"The task of a leader is to define the destination and the blueprint to get there."  (Peter Block)