Certainly, one role of a leader is to cast a vision for where an organization department can be. So that as people follow, they follow the leader to his or her vision of what could be. As you look at this poster, you’ll see several moving parts. What? How? Why?
It’s important to understand what we’re going to do, it’s important to understand how we’re going to do it, but more importantly, it’s important to understand why we’re going to do it. That “why” becomes a driving force that many companies don’t have.
Many organizations have lost the “why”. They know what they do. They know how they do it. But the “why” they do it has become separated from the “what” and the “how”. In that moment of separation, there’s a loss of motivation.
Early on in an organization’s development, it’s typically a very mission-driven organization. It’s all about the mission. They’re changing the landscape of whatever industry they happen to be in.
But as the organization grows and becomes a thing, the mission orientation can get lost, and the motivation can get lost at the same time. Maintaining that mission feel throughout the history of an organization is an on-going but necessary challenge.
One of the best examples in today’s world is Apple. What does Apple do? Apple sells computers. Ah, but there are a lot of places that sell computers.
What does Apple do? How does Apple do it? The distinction is why Apple does it. From its beginnings, it was clearly anti-establishment.
If you walk into an Apple store and you look around at those that are the “Apple disciples,” you will see a group of people committed to the mission as they shine their Air Books and polish the screens of their retina display.
They know why Apple exists. Apple exists to continue to challenge the status quo, pushing it to greater and greater heights. It’s on a mission.
“What could be” is the essence of a vision. However, before a leader paints a picture of “what could be”, a leader has to help the followers experience the fact that where they presently are is an intolerable situation. Pain motivates.
So, before casting a vision of where you want to go, make sure you’ve helped your followers understand why staying where you are is not an option. The two questions at the bottom – Why must we do it? And must we do it now? – have to be clearly answered in your mind, and then communicated to the followers that are going to be going with you on this trip.
Why is this an intolerable situation? You may need to wait because it may only be intolerable for you; it may not be intolerable for them. You may have to wait for it to get to be intolerable for them.
That means you’re going to quit supporting initiatives that are only a band-aid – helping them stay where they are. They’re propelled by having it become an intolerable situation for them. Then, they’ll be ready to follow your leadership to what could be.
Vision Creation is an indispensable skill of a leader.
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