“A vision releases us from the weight and confusion of local problems and concerns, and allows us to see the long clear line. A vision becomes a framework for possibility when it meets certain criteria…”
(The Art of Possibility, 2000; Rosamund and Benjamin Zander p. 169)
To encourage and unite individuals who will be impacted by the intended new ways, any company, large or small, would do well to start with a clear and compelling vision of the ideal state. It is not enough for the CEO or the change leadership team to simply explain the vision for change, no matter how exciting the new developments may be.
Why? Because people’s buy-in, commitment, and sense of ownership are directly linked to how much they are involved. For organizational change to be long-lasting, a critical mass of key stakeholders must work together to create and implement a shared vision for a preferred future state.
Why a Shared Vision is Important to Successful Organizational Change?
Change is always upsetting, both in your personal life and at work. And each person usually has a different view of what’s going on and a different idea of how to make things better. When trying to change how work is done, you need everyone’s point of view to build shared insights, common understanding, and heartfelt commitment to the changes you want.
If you can’t paint a very clear and compelling picture of a good end result that everyone can understand and buy into, you won’t be able to get people to act and pull in the same direction for a long time, especially when things get hard.
What is a Shared Vision for Change?
First of all, there’s a significant difference between a vision, and a mission or a goal. In order to construct a well-formed shared vision, it is important to clarify three words which are often confused and misused.
A Vision – is a picture of a desired future that excites, inspires, and provides a sense of direction. It provides a direction along with the values of the vision.
A Mission – consists of the actions that you will take in service of the vision. When you “go on a mission” to achieve the vision that inspires you, you actualize the vision in specific behaviors.
Goals – refer to specific objectives that we seek to accomplish in service of the mission. Some goals are end goals; some are mean goals that make the long-term vision possible.
A shared vision for change is a better future state that everyone agrees on and wants to claim as their own. A shared vision for change gives answers to questions like:
- What will the changes look like and how will they feel?
- Why would the wanted changes be better than how things are now?
- Why are the changes important or urgent now, compared to other things that need to be done?
- What makes these changes motivating and memorable at the individual, team, and organization levels?
- How do the changes fit into the overall strategy, more significant sense of purpose, and organizational culture of our organization?
9 Simple Ways in Developing a Shared Vision
#1. It clearly articulates a vision of the future that opens up new possibilities.
It is stated in the positive and draws a word picture of a future that is possible and which is actionable.
#2. It operates from an essential human desire or value.
A vision is inherently valuable, positive, and life-enhancing. The vision enables people to resonate with the values it states and in resonating, it enrolls people for the vision. A vision is inherently connected to the real nature of people, to their D-needs and their B-needs.
#3. It addresses an open and undetermined future.
The vision contains no numbers, measures, or comparatives. There’s no time frame for it. The vision does not give specifics of times, place, person, audience, or product. These are variables of a goal, not a vision.
#4. It charts a direction or an approach for a person or group.
A vision is not about morality, about right or wrong, as it is about direction—where we are doing and why that’s important.
#5. It presents a way of life that can begin today.
Paradoxically, there is an immediacy to a vision, it is actionable today. While it cannot be fulfilled today, people can begin to live it today—right now.
#6. It offers new possibilities for ongoing development.
A well-formed vision begins to create multiple options for how to actualize it. It does not prescribe a single approach.
#7. It transforms the speaker who speaks the vision.
The vision is inherently transformative because in the process of speaking it, you begin to live it. It enters into your mind and emotions and begins to define who you are.
#8. It enables a mission to emerge with specific goals.
“Goals are treated as markers thrown out ahead to define the territory.” Within those goals there are feedback loops for the ongoing improvement and development of the vision. Without a vision, a mission is just a lot of activity and busyness.
#9. It activates motivational energy as it establishes an inspirational hope.
A vision gives people hope; it excites people about possibilities.
The Bottom Line
To implement change successfully, people need to agree on the current state of affairs, be open to sharing strategic information, be receptive to stakeholder feedback, and have a clear, compelling, motivating, believable, relevant, memorable, purpose-driven, challenging, and doable vision for the future.
Curated by Danielle Tan.
Reference:
- A Successful Vision for Change – the Essential Components | LSA Global
- [Meta-Coaches] 2022 Morpheus #26 A WELL-FORMED VISION by L. Michael Hall Ph.D.
