A vision is a doable dream, or a simple, easy to comprehend and possible goal toward which you would like your business to work. Visions are important to the extent that they channel motivational energy. A vision of a feast is likely to energize a starving man. A vision trigger is a statement, slogan or picture that reminds people of the ultimate goal. But the energy to achieve the goal comes from the match between the inner striving of those led and the vision and not from the vision itself. Going away for a weekend with a consultant to write a vision statement is likely to be a waste of time and money. Energizing visions must arise between the leader and those who are led.
The primary purpose of a vision is to keep the goal in mind. But to be transforming a vision must be appropriate to the organization and its time. It must be consistent with the values, culture and history of the organization. There must be a match. The vision of a personal computer on each desk did not thrive at IBM. Good vision. Bad match.
A good vision should be uplifting. It should set standards of excellence and reflect high ideals. A vision can be about what is possible even when it is not highly probable. The vision should clarify purpose and direction. It should define what the organization wants to make happen and define legitimate aspirations for people in the organization.
A vision should inspire enthusiasm and commitment. Done properly a vision can recruit diverse followers for the leader. The vision should be well articulated and readily understood. It will not inspire if it is not understood.
Even a well articulated vision will not energize an organization unless the new leader waves the flag regularly and thus ensures that the mission, goals and objectives for the organization serve the vision. The alignment of energies does not automatically follow. The leader should use the vision like the sailor uses the North Star. The sailor must constantly review their direction and their progress in relationship to the star. The leader should track progress in relation to the vision.
The popular press has created a myth that successful companies begin with a vision and are headed by charismatic visionaries. Not true. Successful visions often evolve even when they are not defined at the outset. James Collins and Jerry Powers of Stanford University Graduate School of Business have studied successful organizations, and they find that this is not the case. Their examples are interesting. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, who created Hewlett-Packard, did not have the slightest notion of where they were going when they started the company. Masaru Ibuka, who built Sony, started out with bean paste and miniature golf equipment. Sam Walton started out with a Ben Franklin franchise and later told the New York Times, “I had no vision of the scope of what I would start.” J. Willard Marriott just wanted to be in business for himself, but he had no idea what that business might be.
Business success requires the evolution of a vision, though it may not be perfectly clear at the outset.
