Having a bad vision statement might be better than not having one at all, but a good vision statement can set your business apart. So what’s the difference?
In my experience coaching many entrepreneurial leaders in getting what they want from their businesses, I’ve realized that the difference comes down to clarity and actionability. Most leaders understand that pointing their company in the right direction is one of their core responsibilities. They must climb the tree, scope out the landscape and tell the people where to go.
Leaders who can craft this vision into direct, clear and actionable statements pull off good vision statements and have a better chance of leading the company in its intended direction. Leaders who offer lofty and obscure ideas about the future of a business, on the other hand, are likely to lead it somewhere they never expected.
Take a statement like, “We’re going to make the world a better place,” for instance. It sounds nice in theory, but it lacks actionability and clarity. What, specifically, is the business going to improve about the world? And how can each employee contribute? Good vision statements provide a tactical and achievable purpose that guides the business to success.
Learning The Lesson Of The Valuable Vision Statement
Think you might have a lackluster vision statement on your hands? Take heart. You’re not a bad executive or founder, even if you’ve created a bad vision statement. I’ve made vision statement mistakes before, too.
I once led a company to embrace my vision of having a Super Bowl commercial. We thought, “If we can afford a five-second, $5 million spot, we’ve made it!” Our employees would be proud, our customers would respect us and we’d have a lot more opportunities — or so we thought.
In reality, we grew and grew until we became an international company. And we discovered that employees and customers in other countries didn’t care about the Super Bowl — or even know what it was. It meant nothing to them. In time, it meant nothing to the business, either.
My mistake was failing to consider the importance of human energy in our vision statement. A great vision statement entices action by directing human energy and exciting employees. But our vision became less exciting year after year as we outgrew it, and it lost relevance.
Crafting Compelling Vision Statements That Carry On
If it’s time to rethink your vision statement and give your business something it can work with, remember these three tips:
1. A good vision statement involves alignment.
Leadership teams need to have the final say in vision statements, but they also need to gain traction with everyone on staff. Securing alignment around a vision is the only way to ensure it will positively impact your team, your business and your customers.
The process of developing your vision statement shouldn’t be purely democratic. Although not every stakeholder should have a vote, every stakeholder should have a voice. And you should be intent on hearing what they have to say. As you develop your vision statement, ask employees to share what’s important to them about the business. What do they want the organization to achieve?
Develop your vision statement with their voices in mind. Team members might disagree with the final product, but take them out of the picture if they can’t commit. You can’t proceed as a united front with even one player unwilling to contribute.
2. Your vision statement creation process should include eight points.
As you craft your statement, use these eight factors as a checklist and consider each one carefully:
• Core values
• Core focus
• Core target
• Marketing strategy
• 3-year picture
• 1-year plan
• Rocks
• Issues
Considering each of these can help you create an achievable vision that isn’t too abstract. Too often, leaders concentrate on only the far-out picture, the 10-year target. They might have a vision along the lines of, “We want to have 100,000 customers and $100 million in revenue in 10 years.” But how can employees contribute to that goal now? A 10-year vision alone is too far removed from daily tasks and responsibilities. It creates little motivation, incentive or excitement.
The 10-year target is important, but the seven other bite-sized elements that help get you there are what employees can understand and work toward now.
3. The final vision statement should be sticky — but not actually final at all.
Change is an inevitable part of your business: Life changes, the economy changes, doors open and close. Your vision statement should change as your business does, so don’t set it in stone. Leave space to recalculate and adjust. Just be sure to bring your team along for the ride.
Revisit your vision statement every quarter with an all-team meeting. Every three months, bring your people into the same place (whether online, in person or a combination of both) and talk about where you’ve been, where you are now and where you’re going. Reiterate the vision and explain any readjustments. Then, walk your team through the vision for the next 90 days, one year and three years.
A vision statement isn’t a one-and-done task. It’s something leaders must reevaluate and reiterate as long as they remain a leader. By being transparent around how and why the vision has changed, you can avoid any whiplash that might come with pivots, lower the risk of leaving anyone behind and keep your people aligned as you work to turn your vision into reality.
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