It’s a kind of magic – creating Vision in Business
One golden glance of what should be...
George H W Bush, when he was President of the United States in the 1990's, once remarked that he understood most, if not all, aspects of politics and government, but that he struggled with what he termed ‘the vision thing’. He could not articulate a meaningful view of the future of the USA to the American electorate. He ended up as a one term President.
What is the vision thing and why is it important to leaders whether in politics or business? And is it something senior business managers need to understand or possess?
When coaching our clients, we often come across leaders and senior managers that are struggling with motivating their people. They express a worry that they are not effectively communicating a sense of purpose or a positive view of the future to their employees. In short, they are struggling with the vision thing. They are seeking a way of adding more meaning, if not inspiration, for their colleagues as they go about their daily tasks.
For politicians, it is their ability to communicate with voters at perhaps an emotional level rather than long technocratic speeches about ‘delivery’. Many struggle to break out of a policy dense straitjacket to energise the electorate.
It’s a significant challenge for any senior leader. A “visionary” is often seen as someone who dreams up ideas that are impractical or imagines a future detached from reality. That is not what our clients need. They’re looking for someone who can articulate a compelling future that is grounded in achievable, actionable goals.
The bell that rings inside their minds
How should a senior manager go about articulating a vision? And what are the consequences of not having a vision? Many years ago, companies felt the need to come up with a ‘mission statement’ which somehow explained their business and purpose. This was often displayed in the main reception area of the head office as a form of declaration to clients, counterparties and to the media, that the company knew where it was going, and what it was about.
The problem with this approach was that it is usually too vague and beyond measurement. Here are some examples from well known big companies:
bp: Reimagine energy for people and our planet
Barclays: Creating opportunities to rise
Apple: To bring the best user experience to customers through innovative hardware, software, and services.
Tesla: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy
Who can say that these are in any way motivating? Declaring that the company wants to be the biggest or the best or the finest in their sector has little value, especially to employees. Those types of declarations are not a ‘vision’ and can quickly generate cynicism and scepticism amongst all involved.
One dream, one soul, one prize, one goal
A vision statement should only go public when it speaks to customers. Internally, it can be a financial target or a bold ambition. When it’s tangible, it becomes a powerful motivator. The real trick is keeping it sharp: one or two clear objectives, grounded in a shared understanding across the company.
They can be simple financial targets such as ASOS, which declared they wanted to achieve a billion pounds in sales within ten years. They got there. Unilever is an example of a company with non financial targets that try to say too much to everyone about its vision:
‘To meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care, with brands that help people look good, feel good, and get more out of life’.
There are six different elements here, which do not really motivate customers, employees, or communicate simple ideas.
Leaders should listen much more closely to what their own employees think about their company. Staff surveys may help, but there is always the risk of respondents stating what they think the management wants to hear, rather than what they think. Many companies also have the ‘town hall’ meetings which can help to explain changes in the company or strategic objectives. In our experience, the best approach is for managers to use a blend of all forms of communication.
Recent surveys amongst senior managers showed that many employees sought some form of hope from their leaders to underpin their purpose at work. From a commercial perspective, hoping that things will work is not a strategy. However, offering hope to people about the future is important to maintain morale. Leaders, by offering hope to their colleagues, are acknowledging that work is not just about the pay, it is also about fulfillment, purpose and adding value. Leaders need to guard against offering false hope, where they try to assure their colleagues that all will be well, when the reality is the opposite. Authenticity is a must if one is to lead with authority.
Leaders need to spend more time explaining what the future might hold - the opportunities, the risks, and what the company’s strategy really means for people’s work and tools. Even in a world as unpredictable as ours, the goal for any senior leader is simple: manage with no surprises. Clear, tangible, achievable objectives - communicated well - give colleagues a real sense of where the organisation is heading. As coaches, part of our role is helping leaders shape and deliver that vision in a way that truly lands
