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We have many examples of visionary leaders throughout history who have transformed the world. A few familiar examples include Henry Ford, Florence Nightingale, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Martin Luther King Jr. and Steve Jobs.
These people all had a clear vision for their lives and the future they wanted to create. Through clear communication and relentless personal commitment, they were able to inspire others to join them in accomplishing their vision.
Vision is an important part of leadership, both personally and professionally. When we have a clear vision, we have a compass whereby we can make strategic decisions and allocate precious resources like time, talent and money. While we might not create transformational change to the same degree as these notable figures, we absolutely have the opportunity to articulate a personal vision that will inspire us to live and lead in a purposeful way.
Have you slowed down long enough lately to thoughtfully consider your vision for your life, your family or your business? Where do you imagine yourself being in five years or 10 years? Where will you be living or working and with whom? What will you have accomplished and what will your daily life be like? How will you describe your mental and physical health? What will have made you proud? What will have brought you joy? How will you have made a difference?
Your vision can be defined as your what. It answers the question “What do you want to do?” or “What do you want others around you to do?” Companies have a vision statement that tells employees and customers what they do.
Last week my Vistage groups learned from speaker and author Robert S. Murray that vision statements must be memorable, meaningful and measurable. If kept simple, and communicated clearly and frequently, the statement will serve to guide the organization’s strategic direction in a transformational way.
Two examples of corporate vision statements you will recognize include Disney’s vision “To make people happy” and Google’s vision “To provide access to the world’s information in one click.” When you read both statements, you have no doubt that these companies have been guided by these memorable, meaningful and measurable visions.
What can sometimes be frustrating though is that others in our sphere of work and family don’t seem to share our vision. Sometimes, they even seem to be standing in our way or working against us. Could this be because we haven’t made the effort to get our vision out of our heads and onto paper or in an e-document? Could it be that we haven’t worked to make it memorable, meaningful and measurable? Is it possible that we haven’t communicated our vision clearly and frequently? Are we a living example of the vision we have for our lives or our businesses?
My personal vision has evolved through different stages in my life. For many years, my vision was to be a humble servant leader while developing and empowering those around me to reach their full potential. This was true for my roles as a mother of three and as a leader in business.
With time, I realized that I was not considering my own well-being in the process even though physical and mental health were important values of mine. Now, my vision is to develop and empower others with an emphasis on well-being.
What is your vision and how is it reflected in your life?
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