|
What good is a compelling vision if others can’t "see" it? Do others treat you as if you are "seeing things" that no one else can see? Maybe you are! And maybe you’re frustrated that they don’t see it! Maybe you’ve given talks about it, addressed new employee orientation, or written columns for the newsletter or magazine about where you see this organization in three years, or five years. But they just don’t "get it." So, how do you communicate the vision? First, you tell them as clearly and passionately as you can what the vision is. When a compelling vision is properly communicated, it:
If I don’t know the destination, I can’t get excited about the trip, I may go off in the wrong direction, and I never feel particularly confident that I’m doing the right thing to get there. So I need a "compelling" vision – one that excites, one that drives, one that clearly points me toward the desired state. Will I have that because I sat through a presentation by a member of management who showed me a few colorful slides and talked about the commitment expected of me? No, I need to catch the fever! When telling people what your vision is, use vivid language – metaphors, analogies, word pictures, anecdotes about future states, alliteration, slogans, humor. You might even use a picture, a diagram, or you might compose a song – but "don’t try this at home unless you’re a professional." But keep it lively; let it show your energy and enthusiasm for the destination that you are trying to portray. Two of the most famous speeches that exemplify how to use vivid language to get others to see your vision are Martin Luther King’s "I Have A Dream" speech, and John F. Kennedy’s "Man on the Moon" speech. In Dr. King’s speech, he used repetition to emphasize his points, painted in various ways. "I have a dream…" Then he painted several vivid word pictures: "…that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood." "…that on day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice." President Kennedy issued a challenge that every NASA employee would soon work to accomplish: "…before this decade is out, …landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth." He talked in specific terms about the commitment needed to make it happen, and about the benefit to all Americans of achieving this goal. Maybe you are saying, "But I’m not so eloquent." Or "Our goals just aren’t that compelling." Think it through. What would get you excited about coming to work in the morning? What would get everybody in the organization excited about coming to work in the morning? Imagine the end result – whether it be growth to a certain point, or recognition among your peer organizations, or whatever it may be. Find a way to keep that end result in front of you . There are many ways to be inspiring. One of them will suit your style. Do you want "buy-in" or "ownership"? People will get on board if they feel ownership in the journey. Notice there is a difference between ownership and "buy-in." Buy-in requires that someone is doing some "selling" and someone else is "buying." Ownership, on the other hand, requires involvement in creating. So, perhaps there are ways that all members of the organization can contribute to "connecting the dots" of the vision. You outline the over-arching vision and ask for input about how it could be brought about. Or, you ask each organizational unit to develop a vision for what they will be able to say about their unit at some point in the future. But you get them involved in the process of determining what that destination will really be like. Buy-in generally involves position-taking. That is, you have an answer you will try to sell me on. I take the position that you will need to be persuasive. But ownership involves dialogue. We both bring perspectives that can be helpful to this situation, and we both put our best ideas forward, for the sake of synergy and the best ultimate solution. If that happens, I will be less likely to abandon the idea, because I have an investment in the process. Part of me is now part of the solution. But if you have "sold" me on the idea, you may need to follow up more often, to see if I am still with you. If I am invested, I will not only feel empowered to take action, I will be energetic and driven to achieve. No "flavor of the month" club here! Find ways to reinforce the vision at every opportunity. Sure, people already have enough coffee cups, T-shirts, and hats, but what is seen often is not easily forgotten. Reduce the vision to a single statement that is memorable (remember, "Land a man on the moon and return him safely to the earth.") Print the slogan on sticky notes, on mouse pads, on posters, on pencils. Create logo just for the vision, or choose a color that will be used exclusively for communications about the vision. Then print updates, recognition items, and reminders with that logo or in that color. Create a great screen saver with the message on it! Find creative ways to keep the vision alive. One speech, one slogan, one coffee cup just won’t do it! Think of it as a marketing program. Think of it as a new language. But make sure your team members think of it every day! Imagine your team needing to be encouraged to take a break. Imagine your team telling you of their progress in an excited tone, outside of a staff meeting. Imagine each member of the organization being an ambassador for the organization because they can clearly articulate the higher purpose of the organization and the outcome that will be seen in the near future. Imagine that everyone is as excited as you are about the direction the organization is going! |
