2.4
VISIONING AND VISION STATEMENTS
Inspired by Peter Block, John Kotter, and Peter Senge.A key distinction of a leader is the ability to shape the future. The starting point for this is a
clear vision. Sports psychologists are clear: World-class athletes spend considerable time visu-
alizing the superior performances they desire to attain. This tool will assist you with visioning,
then writing a compelling vision statement. The vision of this tool is to inspire you to create,
with others, an inspiring vision!
Some principles for establishing a powerful vision are:
✔ It is different from goals and objectives (time-limited targets aligned with the vision).
✔ It needs to inspire and motivate the hearts and minds of others, creating a picture of a
better future and a shared sense of direction, while enrolling others in aligned action.
✔ It pushes people beyond their comfortable routines, while respecting the past, by being
rooted in the realities of customers, shareholders, employees, markets, and other envi-
ronmental forces.
✔ It needs to be strategic, based in customer and client needs, the touchstone for future
decisions and plans, encouraging accountable actions that are congruent with the
vision.
✔ It may never be totally achieved; neither is it pie-in-the-sky, turning off the concrete-
thinking people needed to attain the vision.
✔ It can be explained in five minutes or less; if it can’t, you will have lost the attention
and interest of others.It is dangerous to use an existing vision as an example of a well-crafted vision, because suc-
cessful organizations ebb and flow. Your best bet for current exemplars is to search the Web
sites of organizations you admire. One example is Ford Motor Company:
“Our vision is to be the world’s leading automotive company, from the viewpoint of our cus-
tomers, shareholders, and employees. To achieve that vision, we’re rebuilding our company
around a simple premise: Everything we do must maximize the quality and value of our prod-
ucts for our customers, or we shouldn’t do it. By creating the greatest value for our customers
at the lowest cost to Ford, we’ll increase our company’s value to our shareholders.”SECTION 2 TOOLS FORBIG-PICTURETHINKING 51