Recent
work with several clients has taught me a lesson. Encouraging leaders
and managers to help
employees maintain focus on organizational goals
and objectives may be premature.
If the organization doesn’t have a clearly defined vision, what is there to focus on?
I
offer three quick, simple steps you can use to build a true and clear
vision for your organization, your department or your team. For more
more information, click here.
- Articulate. Build
your own picture of where you want the organization to go, what you
want it to become. Without describing your picture to the extreme
detail, share it with your team in clear, everyday language. - Allow.
Hold several discussion sessions. Invite people to express their
perceptions of the vision fulfilled. Ask them for specific examples of
what they "see." Encourage them to be more and more specific. (Prepare
to ask repeatedly, "What does that look like?) - Actualize.
Using images suggested by team members, construct a true and clear
organization vision. You may translate it to a verbal vision statement.
However, a "visual vision statement" will have true value in
its visibility. Consider a
poster filled with scenes and situations representing the vision
achieved. (Bonus: use pictures of your team members in that poster!)
The cost: probably less than $200 for a "visual vision statement". Otherwise, just a bit of your and your people’s time.
The
reward: increased engagement by the employees who know their foresight
contributes to their organizations vision of the future.
Tags: engagement, Focus, Management, vision
