I continue to meet leaders that confuse the concept of having a vision with setting goals. Our conversations sound a bit like this:
Lisa – “So tell me about your vision for the company.”
Leader – “Well, we’re looking to get into the xyz market and want to be number one in the local market by next year.”
Lisa – “Those are great goals to have but that’s not a vision. A vision is 3-dimensional and has aspects of all five senses to it. It is a picture that describes what your company looks like and feels like when you’ve ultimately fulfilled all your goals and brought the impact of them to life.”
Visionary Leadership
I love to use Martin Luther King, Jr. as an example of visionary leadership. He had an exquisitely clear vision and expressed it magnificently in his, “I Have a Dream” speech. While his goals may have included various steps along the way to passing civil rights legislation, his vision was so much bigger than his goals. His vision described exactly what it looked like when the real impact of his goals were felt, including famously…
I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification; one day right there in Alabama, little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
You can see in your mind what that looks like and feels like so vividly. It is so much grander than a goal…it was his vision of what the accomplishment of his goals would bring to life, and how they would change the country.
Your vision doesn’t have to be about changing the country, but it does have to provide an exqusitely clear picture for your team about what they are all working toward. Getting into xyz market and increasing market share are admirable goals, but they don’t say anything about “why” or what you want the world of your company to look like when you have accomplished these goals.
Creating that crystal clear view of what your “dream” is for your company, or for your team, is crucial to providing your team the ability to see how their individual goals make sense along the greater path. They see the larger picture and the shining “city upon a hill” that they are striving to get to.
Speaking of the shining city of which both John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan spoke so elegantly, look how Reagan brings the rich hues of his vision to life in his January 11, 1989 farewell speech to the nation…
…I’ve spoken of the shining city all my political life, but I don’t know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when I said it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, wind-swept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here. That’s how I saw it and see it still…
Remember: goals will move you along the path to your vision, but without a vision your team won’t really know where they’re headed or what they can look forward to rejoicing in when they arrive. There’s nothing very inspiring about that.
~What do you think?~
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Photo is looking into the sun by RichardEFreeman.
14 Response Comments
I was talking about this recently with a friend. During lunch recently he asked me what I saw as the difference between what he’s doing and what I’m doing.
I thought about it and explained: He’s building a legacy enterprise, one that lasts for generations, with the purpose of ultimately serving as a model for a new way of doing business in America. One where people are the most important part, not structure, not process, just relationships. His company fulfills this vision every day http://ardaich.com.
I am creating an idea, a fulfillment of a dream – to put an end to the idea of unemployment. I want us to one day regard the idea of unemployment the same way we do slavery, a very bad idea that no one believes in anymore.
He turns to me and said “So, what you’re saying is, you’re creating the 25th century and I’m creating Starfleet, right?” I thought about it and smiled, because it was a more succinct description than I’d managed. Much more visual 🙂
It’s brilliant!! Two incredibly visionary leaders…what an inspiration! Thank you so much for sharing, Alan.
Lisa,
Amen, sister! The MLK and JFK examples you share are good examples of a vision. Certainly they pull us in through their vivid use of language and a compelling reason for something better. Though both MLK and JFK were amazing orators, their belief for a better world is not set aside for leaders with such skills.
Those in the C-suite have something in common with both men – passion. We need to help them bridge what’s in their heart with their head. It’s awkward for many to do this. But we have professionals like you to show them how to share their compelling dream for a better future.
Shawn – I couldn’t agree with you more in regard to helping those in the C-suite connect their heart with their head and translate it into a compelling vision. That’s definitely my mission! 🙂 Thanks so much for your ongoing encouragement!
I have always said, that a goal is only a dream — until you write it down.
Yes…and then you make sure it is aligned with your vision. 🙂
Good Day Lisa –
Excellent Post – extremely thoughtful and insightful. You nailed it when you stated…GOALS are not a VISION.
You said it best when you stated at the end of your POST: Remember: goals will move you along the path to your vision, but without a vision your team won’t really know where they’re headed or what they can look forward to rejoicing in when they arrive. There’s nothing very inspiring about that.
Thanks Lisa – Gr8 work as always – thanks for the inspiration!
SPGonz
Thank you Lisa, for this great post.
I have always felt that the hidden door to leadership goes through the capability to dream, serve and take the responsibility their and even other people’s lives.
I love to read your posts, and am into the psychology of leadership myself. I will dedicate a leadership category in my new blog page. And will continue to enjoy your great insight in the area.
Have a great day!
Thank you, Steve – I always appreciate knowing that the post has resonated with you! Have a wonderful weekend!
My latest conversation: http://www.lisapetrilli.com/about-lisa-petrilli/
@Salih Tahir Thank you for such a beautiful and personally inspiring comment! I sincerely appreciate all of your kind words and am excited to know that you have a new blog page that will have a focus on leadership as well. All the very best to you!
My latest conversation: http://www.lisapetrilli.com/about-lisa-petrilli/
Nailed it! Thanks for sharing.
Dear Lisa, your articles have assisted me so much in doing my ten-page assignment on visionary leadership. I am a middle adult man, junior student at African Bible College, Malawi-Central Africa. I am interested to be getting your articles, even on various subjects via my mail box. Who is the next president? BYE!
You may click on the “Subscribe” button on the blog page and then choose to subscribe by email. Thank you, and all the best with your studies. 🙂