How to Craft a Leadership Vision
Strategic leaders create and lead with vision.
Y’all already know this to be true, and yet, it’s a critical component of strong leadership that falls to the bottom of the totem pole when things get busy - when YOU get busy.
Leading with vision enables:
A team and organization to have a North Star.
Strong employee engagement and retention.
A foundation for decision making.
People to keep going when the sh*t hits the fan.
Alignment across the organization to keep people pulling in the same direction.
Bonus: vision is the centerpiece of good change management (more to come in Mastering Alignment)
Now take a moment to pause.
What’s your North Star? What keeps you going when you’re frustrated and it’s tough?
What about your team? What about your broader department?
If you were to ask 10 different people for the vision for your team and the department, how similar or different would the responses be?
Ok, so I think we’re there. Vision is pretty dang important.
Now, a quick point of clarification. What’s the difference between mission and vision?
A vision statement focuses on tomorrow and what an organization wants to ultimately become.
A mission statement focuses on today and what an organization does to achieve it.
Both are vital. As a manager and leader, you likely won’t influence the company’s mission statement. You do absolutely influence your team’s vision statement.
So how do you do it?
Start with Values.
What are your personal values?
What are beliefs you hold to be most true?
What are your team values?
Which values would you like to see/feel more?
What frustrates you and your team? (These are values in violation)
Reflect on these first on your own and then involve your team. Dedicate a whole team meeting to identifying and agreeing upon values that your team wants to live and work by.
Now take it a step further with vision.
What is your team known for?
What would you like it to be known for?
Where do you want to be and how do you want to be on the journey?
What impact will your team have?
How and when can this vision be communicated and referenced?
Again, involve your team in the process. They are invested. They are capable. They care. And frankly, it’s their team.
It’s a brand new year. No finer time than the present.
Will you hold yourself accountable to leading with greater vision in 2021?
