Defining your vision is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner or a person. You need to know what you're aiming for and how much time and money it will take in order to make that happen.
On this Golden Nugget from the ROI Online Podcast global business coach, business owner, and author Robert Clinkenbeard will discuss some key elements of defining your vision, such as understanding where you are now so that you can see where you want to go in the future; creating a plan with milestones; and putting together an actionable roadmap.
Your vision is more than just a mission. When you imagine what it would be like to have your goals realized, that's the definition of the word "vision."
The path ahead after achieving success can't always be planned in detail, but having an idea about where one might go or want to take their company allows for creativity and innovation on all levels: from day-to-day operations down to core principles.
Vision also isn’t a strategy; they work hand-in-hand with each other as complementary concepts because while strategies provide direction at any given moment based solely off current information (e.g., how best to spend our time), visions are projections into future possibilities rooted in present realities.
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The following are some of the key elements that successful companies have in order to define their vision:
a) Clarity
Specificity is the key to your vision. While lofty, you still need it clear so that five independent observers can all come up with the same interpretation.
Keeping your vision simple will help ward off ambiguity and confusion when trying to interpret what you want from people who don't know where this idea came from originally.
b) Cohesiveness
The vision needs to be cohesive. Your company's mission statement should align with your vision and goals, while the other aspects of your business should tie into this idea as well.
Imagining a time when you've achieved what was outlined in your strategy is not enough - it must resonate throughout the organization.
c) Execution
As the vision becomes clear to everyone the execution of that vision can be developed. It's important to stay focused on what you want and how your company will get there, rather than being distracted by other things - this is where good leadership skills come into play.
"Everyone's got goals. What are yours?"
That is the question Robert asks his clients when they come in for a consultation, and it usually surprises them to find out how many people don't have any idea of what their goal even looks like!
They may know that general direction they want to go (to travel more with friends or start saving money) but without specifics on where exactly these dreams will take you, there's no way your journey can be anything short of slow-going at best - if not downright stalled altogether!
Therefore, before you can know what your goal is or where it will take you, first and foremost:
You have to decide on a destination. This may sound daunting at first because not only do we live in a world of infinite possibilities but there are also too many options out there that make picking any one thing seem like the wrong choice!
Having a quarterly meeting with all your staff and explain the vision, goals, where is the company going will inspire them to get behind it. It will be more likely to get people through challenging times if they have a clear message and sense of direction.
If they have that clear vision of where they're going everything becomes a bit easier and more cohesive.
Not communicating at all is a big mistake that a lot of business owners do and the issue is if you leave things blank, people will fill in their own communication.
So why not be intentional about the communication where the company is going?
A company can have a clear mission statement but if it is not communicated clearly or executed properly there will be challenges with everyone understanding what needs to be done.
Robert also recommends to create vision boards, not only for your company but for your personal goals too.
Some of the most influential thought leaders agree that achieving your dreams and goals is completely possible with hard work, focus, and manifestation.
For success with manifestation, you have to set your intention and take active steps towards making the abstract idea come true. a vision board is nothing else than a visual representation of your goals and aspirations.
Robert also recommends creating vision boards for your company and personal goals too.
A vision board is nothing more than a visual representation of your goals and aspirations. According to Robert, for success with manifestation, you should set your intention and take active steps towards making the abstract idea come true.
Some concerns of a company's strategic vision are:
- What is the roadmap for the future?
- Where are we going?
- Are there revenue goals?
- Is that charitable, are we giving back?
- What's the purpose?
***And the of course then comes getting people behind those ideas and goals, getting the whole company behind them and it does necessarily has to do with revenue, especially for millennials.
Millennials don't want to just make money, they want a purpose.
They'll get behind a company because of what they're doing for others and the world rather than just making money, that becomes just a side benefit to them, they want fulfillment, and sometimes leaders don't know how to communicate that properly.
The key is not just defining what you want to do, but who you're going to be while doing it. You need a strong vision in order for that company culture and work ethic to exist, as well as those values of the organization. You can't really fake or force your way through this one.
Don't follow your vision, let it follow you.
A vision statement is a set of guiding principles that your employees use to make decisions. It's like a compass that shows the direction you want the company to go in.
Another benefit of a clear vision statement is it can be motivating and inspiring. A real-life example of this is how, as the saying goes, "The best way to predict your future is to create it."
