[and 3 reasons why it’s worth the effort to write the vision out]
In its power to change lives, a strong vision statement does three things: It attracts a team, unites a community, and fuels your mission. Hope for a different future is an important core value of entrepreneurs and ministry leaders; it’s one that wakes leaders and teams early in the morning, plants their feet firmly on the ground and sends them running in the direction of team goals. Your vision keeps them persevering through whatever trials may come while on the path to fulfill the mission.
A vision statement attracts (AND repels!)
Vision drives leaders who know their actions will bring people with them, as well as inspires those who join to make a difference in the world. “It crystallizes an emotional connection between employees and the business.” Harvard Business Review. If the vision is unsettling to your most optimistic team member, you are on the right track.
Stating a hope of something better also brings a humbling admission that a current state is less than ideal. An inadequate or harsh reality can be painful to admit, especially in the context of discussion in preparation for a day’s work. A statement of strong vision positions the listener at a crossroads. It compels a team to ask whether the vision is a plan worth standing for. A strong vision invokes the question, “Am I in or am I out?”
Vision attracts a team.
A vision statement unites a community
Vision defines a team as a community who, together, realizes their shared dreams. With a team committed to your vision, ideas are refined and the vision becomes a reality in the hands of this community as it grows together.
Vulnerabilities will surface; fear of failure will arise.
Teams led by a strong vision learn to support each other when insecurities surface. When it becomes clear additional skills or resources are required the vision shines like a lighthouse to fill those critical voids. Make no mistake, a great vision comprises more than words.
We shouldn’t be surprised by these words. James 1:22 tells us, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”. It’s realized with great blood, sweat, and tears. It’s made of individuals, who become teammates committed to sacrificing their own comfort opting instead for personal, professional and spiritual growth. l. As each member grows, the team grows. As the team grows, the vision’s roots go deep.
”A well-defined vision will fuel growth with the help of your mission, guiding principles, and core values. When storms arise and threaten to uproot a well-planted seed, a clearly defined vision will unite and inspire a team to have faith, making deep roots possible. Vision unites a community.
A vision statement fuels your mission
Writing a vision statement can feel like a big undertaking. You may even be wondering whether it’s worth all the effort to inscribe the vision. Writing is time away from all the REAL work that needs to be done in an organization, right? Putting the vision in words provides an opportunity for team members to point out any inadequacies they have stumbled upon.
A vision statement drives any mission.
Stating the vision underpins an outcome of teams remaining faithful to the mission. And on days when the mission feels too hard, your organization’s written vision will inspire others to see the future in a new way, making it possible to carry out the clear goals set before them. A vision statement supports, communicates, and fuels your mission.
iCollins, James C. and Porras, Jerry L. “Building Your Company’s Vision” Harvard Business Review (1996): (2-15). Online.
Filed Under: Blog, Branding Tagged With: mission, vision, vision statement