Let say, you are doing a good job as a leader. You're modeling the way. You are developing relationships with your people and building them up. You've trained them. You are developing them and plan to continue doing so. Now what? It's like you’ve taken the time to build a fine weapon and load it. So what so you do? You aim at the bull’s-eye and pull the trigger. In the area of leadership, that means transferring the vision.
The vision cast by the top management rarely gets transferred to the people without the whole-hearted participation of the leaders lower in the organization who are closer to them. Though leaders in the middle may not always be the inventor of the vision, they are almost always its interpreters.
1. Clarity
When the vision isn't clear, the people aren't clear. They just can’t figure it out. You have to pull all the pieces together for them to help them 'get' it.
When preparing to cast vision, ask yourself: What do I want them to know, and what do I want them to do?
And once you know the answer, keep communicating and filling in the blanks until you can sense that most of your people get it – not just the quick ones.
2. Connection of past, present and future
Any leader who casts vision and neglects to tie in the past and present is really missing an opportunity.
Talking only about the past gives no hope for the future, so you certainly don't want to put your focus there. But if you ignore the past, you fail to connect people to the organization's history. If you show that you value what has gone before and honor the people who laid the foundation to get you where you are today, you validate those people who have worked hard and sacrifice to build what already exists. You also give the people who are new to the process the added security of knowing they are part of something bigger.
When people are able to touch the past, they will be more inclined to reach for the future. Anytime you can show the past, present, and future are unified, you bring power and continuity to your vision casting.
2inc: Those people who weren't involved in building the foundations of North wouldn't realize how 'bad' it was in the beginning and what price were paid to build it till where it is now. Therefore if we do not include this as we challenge our new generation of believers then they will not see the importance of why we started out and carrying on where we left off. A successful leader is one who has a successor.
3. Purpose
Although vision tells people where they need to go, purpose tells them why they should go. Not only does that help people to make sense of what they are being asked to do, but it also helps them to stay on target. It helps them to make adjustments, improvise, and innovate as they encounter obstacles or experience other difficulties.
4. Goals
Leadership is leaders inducing followers to act for certain goals that present the values and the motivations – the wants and the needs, the aspirations and expectations – of both leaders and followers. Without goals and a strategy to achieve them, vision isn’t measurable or attainable. When you give people a process, they realize that the vision is realistic. And that increases their confidence in you and the vision.
5. A challenge
Just because you can make the vision realistic doesn't mean you can't make it challenging. In fact, if the vision doesn’t require people to stretch, they may wonder if it is worthy of their dedication. Some leaders seem to be afraid to challenge their teams, but a challenge makes good people want to spread their wings and fly. It fires up the committed people – and fries the uncommitted ones. You will accurately define your people if you ask them to stretch.
2inc: You will find out who is committed and who's not when you give them a challenge that will require them to stretch.
6. Stories
If you want to put a human face on a challenging vision, then include stories. They make the vision relational and warm. Think about people who have been involved in the advancement of the group so far. Tell about their struggles and victories. Praise their contributions. Make it personal. When you do that, you make the vision and the process identifiable to the average people who are wondering, Should I be a part of this? Can I be a part of this? Can I make a difference? A story helps them to see that even though they may have to reach to help achieve the vision, it is within their grasp.
7. Passion
If there is no passion, then your vision isn't transferable; it is just a pleasant snapshot. Who's going to work hard, put in long hours, fight through obstacles, and go the extra mile for that? The wonderful thing about passion is that it is contagious. If you are fired up, then they will get fired up, and they will need that fire to keep them going.
The vision cast by the top management rarely gets transferred to the people without the whole-hearted participation of the leaders lower in the organization who are closer to them. Though leaders in the middle may not always be the inventor of the vision, they are almost always its interpreters.
1. Clarity
When the vision isn't clear, the people aren't clear. They just can’t figure it out. You have to pull all the pieces together for them to help them 'get' it.
When preparing to cast vision, ask yourself: What do I want them to know, and what do I want them to do?
And once you know the answer, keep communicating and filling in the blanks until you can sense that most of your people get it – not just the quick ones.
2. Connection of past, present and future
Any leader who casts vision and neglects to tie in the past and present is really missing an opportunity.
Talking only about the past gives no hope for the future, so you certainly don't want to put your focus there. But if you ignore the past, you fail to connect people to the organization's history. If you show that you value what has gone before and honor the people who laid the foundation to get you where you are today, you validate those people who have worked hard and sacrifice to build what already exists. You also give the people who are new to the process the added security of knowing they are part of something bigger.
When people are able to touch the past, they will be more inclined to reach for the future. Anytime you can show the past, present, and future are unified, you bring power and continuity to your vision casting.
2inc: Those people who weren't involved in building the foundations of North wouldn't realize how 'bad' it was in the beginning and what price were paid to build it till where it is now. Therefore if we do not include this as we challenge our new generation of believers then they will not see the importance of why we started out and carrying on where we left off. A successful leader is one who has a successor.
3. Purpose
Although vision tells people where they need to go, purpose tells them why they should go. Not only does that help people to make sense of what they are being asked to do, but it also helps them to stay on target. It helps them to make adjustments, improvise, and innovate as they encounter obstacles or experience other difficulties.
4. Goals
Leadership is leaders inducing followers to act for certain goals that present the values and the motivations – the wants and the needs, the aspirations and expectations – of both leaders and followers. Without goals and a strategy to achieve them, vision isn’t measurable or attainable. When you give people a process, they realize that the vision is realistic. And that increases their confidence in you and the vision.
5. A challenge
Just because you can make the vision realistic doesn't mean you can't make it challenging. In fact, if the vision doesn’t require people to stretch, they may wonder if it is worthy of their dedication. Some leaders seem to be afraid to challenge their teams, but a challenge makes good people want to spread their wings and fly. It fires up the committed people – and fries the uncommitted ones. You will accurately define your people if you ask them to stretch.
2inc: You will find out who is committed and who's not when you give them a challenge that will require them to stretch.
6. Stories
If you want to put a human face on a challenging vision, then include stories. They make the vision relational and warm. Think about people who have been involved in the advancement of the group so far. Tell about their struggles and victories. Praise their contributions. Make it personal. When you do that, you make the vision and the process identifiable to the average people who are wondering, Should I be a part of this? Can I be a part of this? Can I make a difference? A story helps them to see that even though they may have to reach to help achieve the vision, it is within their grasp.
7. Passion
If there is no passion, then your vision isn't transferable; it is just a pleasant snapshot. Who's going to work hard, put in long hours, fight through obstacles, and go the extra mile for that? The wonderful thing about passion is that it is contagious. If you are fired up, then they will get fired up, and they will need that fire to keep them going.
There is definitely a link between ownership and success. You don’t get the latter without the former. Take the vision 'from me to we.'
