“Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.”

-Jack Welch

Clear visions have helped shape and propel impressive companies.  For example, Fred Smith, founder of Federal Express, had a vision that packages could be delivered around the United States by the next morning.  Disney wanted to make families smile.  Dominoes wanted you to have hot, delicious pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or less or it was free.  Coke wanted to have its refreshing beverages within the reach of every person in the world.  Microsoft wanted to create beneficial software that would compel people to have a computer on every desk at work, home and school.

“Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.”

-Jonathan Swift

Don’t sell vision creation short.  You must learn to understand, value, and appreciate the essential role of an exciting vision for a healthy and growing business.  Start thinking and planning more.  Escape from the daily urgent tasks and focus on one of the most important tasks you can do – create an exciting future destiny and direction for your business.  Effective visions also help lead the leaders – keeping them motivated and challenged.

A quick warning, realize your employees must buy into you as a leader before they buy into your vision.  They must believe and trust in you to believe and trust in your vision.  You may need to do some repair work to establish yourself as a caring and competent leader before you start creating and selling your vision.  You will need to connect with their hearts before connecting with their heads. 

To create a new vision or sharpen and update an existing one, allow yourself a month.  See yourself as the Chief Listening Officer during this early phase.  You cannot build a vision or business on your own.  For buy-in later, ask for the input of others now.  Include your employees, customers, suppliers, distributors and business advisers in the process.  Spend a week or two gathering input from these people about your company’s direction, strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities.  If they do not participate in creating your vision, they will not want to participate in the implementing your vision.  Also, study your industry trends and your current and emerging competitors.  On all fronts, do your homework.

After listening to and studying others, be certain to listen to your inner voice and gut.  While other’s input is critical, know that the buck stops with you.  You are ultimately responsible for the vision of your business.  Your vision ultimately becomes your company’s direction, objectives, priorities, strategies, and tactics.  It is that magical and that important.

So get away from the daily interruptions and go into your CEO Cave.  This could be your home office, a local coffee shop, at a park, library or beach.  Spend two to three days forming or crystallizing a picture of what you want the business to look like in one year, three years, and five years.  See things the way they can be.  Dream the big dream; unleash your spirit.  See the business in your heart that you truly want to create.  A bold, daring, super-sized vision, even if only partially achieved, yields greater rewards than a small, wimpy vision fully achieved. 

Remember, there are no rules while you create a desired future state.  However, don’t deal in pure fantasy.  There is a difference between a vision and a delusion.  Stay somewhat grounded.  You must see things the way they are now in order to visualize the way they can be.  You must build from a foundation of realism, acknowledging your company’s current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.  However, once you gather the facts, let go and let her rip.

Grab hold of the future, bring it into the present, and then go about creating it.  Give yourself and your employees something to be proud of.  Find a voice to express the common dreams, emotions, potential and needs of your team.  Let your vision inspire, motivate, and pull your team together.  Small visions do not stir the soul.  Give people a reason to follow, something to shoot for.  Make the vision intoxicating -- something that captures their imagination.  Show them the finish line in bright, colorful detail.  Sell more to their hearts than to their heads.  People change when their feelings change, not when just their thoughts change.  Powerful visions unite groups and take them to new heights and places. 

Keep in mind, employees want purpose and passion to lift them and propel them.  Find a larger purpose for your company than just making money.  Don’t settle for being a random collection of people and assets trying to make a buck.  A purely financial focus will not continue to motivate the troops over the long term.  Make coming to work a meaningful and fulfilling event for your employees.  People want to work in a challenging and rewarding environment.  They want to learn, grow and reach their potential – the full expression of their talent.  People are drawn to great leaders, great visions and great causes.

“The indispensable first step in getting the things you want out of life is this:  decide what you want.”

-Ben Stein

Having trouble thinking big?  Ask yourself bigger questions! 

• Why does my business exist?
• If my business were shut down, what would be missing in this world?
• What is my crusade?   What could be my crusade?
• How do I connect with the hearts, minds and souls of my employees?
• How can I make my company great, meaningful and different?
• How can I change my industry, community, and even the world? 
• How can I measurably improve the lives of customers? 
• How can I make my employees and their families’ lives better and more enjoyable? 
• What higher calling or spiritual dimension can I embrace?

After listening to others for two weeks and thinking deeply yourself for two weeks, a vision for your company should be coming into focus.  Bottom line, this vision should help you and your employees regain the fire and passion for your company’s direction and purpose.

“Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.”

-Napoleon Hill

I welcome your questions and comments on this column, please contact me at Bobbi Collins, The Growth Coach, 808-282-8328, B.Collins@TheGrowthCoach.com.