Power of Vision
/Have you noticed that in both athletics and business, the highest functioning groups have a clear and shared vision and goal?
Vision guides our action, keeps a team moving forward in the face of adversity, and gives people within a team an understanding of the role they play in the team's success.
A Hebrew Proverb says, “Without vision the people perish, but he who keeps the law, happy is he.” The word “perish” here is the Hebrew word paw-rah' which means “to perish.” Paw-rah' was a description of a woman's hair left to flow out of its covering. This notes a vision of unconstrained, directionless wandering like hair blown in all directions.
How many of us have been on a team or worked in an organization where everyone had their own vision of success and not a shared vision? Maybe you have been in a relationship or an environment where the vision was small and manageable and left you feeling underwhelmed and not compelled to give your best?
What I do see time and time again is that when the vision is lacking or unclear, division is far more prevalent.
To make a vision clear, concise, compelling, and complete we need to
Listen to the voices of stakeholders in our organization or team.
Connect the vision to shared values and a greater purpose
Create a sense of ownership and accountability to fulfill the vision and mission by being an active member of the team.
Leaders that paint a clear and compelling vision can influence people to do the unthinkable. Vision is like a superpower and those who wield it can cause great harm or great good in their team, organization, and even the world. Plenty of leaders have, and do, paint a clear and compelling vision of hate, violence, war, and oppression. Conversely, men and women all over the world create incredible vision around unity, hope, peace, equity, achievement, growth, and life. The way you choose to wield the power of vision will enhance VISION or DIVISION- choose wisely where your vision will lead, for indecision is a choice of its own as well.
