A vision is a much broader concept than the stodgy vision statements one tends to find on the walls of

some corporate head office. A vision statement is not a vision. Its just one of many ways that we can use
to express a vision.
Ask an organisation what is their vision is and the response you will get is a one liner vision statement
that sounds like a corporate slogan. These one liners usually sounds something like one company, one
vision or to be the number one [place your industry, product or organisation name here] in the world or
to provide world class [place your industry, product or organisation name here] I think you get the idea.
The problem with these one liner vision statements is that they fail to fulfill the purpose of a vision, which
is to provide direction. Its not enough to say climb the mountain people need to understand which
mountain and why the mountain is worth climbing?
An effective vision is much broader than a vision statement stuck up somewhere on the corporate head
office wall. Effective visions are a combination of ideas that express the following:
The organisations purpose, their reason for existence.
The organisations core values, who they are and striving to become.
The organisations value proposition, what makes them unique, what they are good at and why it matters.
The organisations strategic intent, a stretch goal and future aspirations.
The Benefits of an Effective Vision
A vision provides direction and road map into the future, it describes the type of organisations that you
want to become and how its unique, it creates purpose and identity.
If you want to build a ship, dont drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders.
Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea. Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Some benefits of effective visions are as follows:

Vision provides direction and helps the organisation prepare for the future.
Vision provides guidance for decision-making.
Vision shapes the organisations strategy.
Vision guides the types of people you hire and promote.
Vision defines what you will and what you will not do.
Vision helps set priorities and guides planning.
Vision aligns people and activities across the organisation.
Vision provides purpose and a source of inspiration.
Vision reflects an organisations core values and beliefs.
Vision empowers people and helps focus their efforts.
Vision brings change and hope for the future.

Not all visions are created equal. We do not gain the above benefits simply because we have a vision
statement on our wall. These benefits are only gained if our vision is effective.

What Makes an Effective Vision?

Most visions suck. Theyre boring, they reenforce the status quo, full of corporate jargon, bureaucratic
mambo jumbo and far too bland to drive any real change.
If a leader is to inspire and enlist others to their cause, they need an effective vision. This then raises the
question, What makes an effective vision? The following characteristics will help you develop a vision
that is meaningful and compelling, it will help you avoid ending up with a vision that sucks. That is a
vision that is vague, lacks ambition, tries to be all things to all people and void of meaning. Use these
characteristics to help you evaluate your current vision and if necessary to guide you in creating a new
one.
Future Focused: An effective vision answers the question what will our business look like in 5 to 10
years time? It describes the organisations desired future. A vision makes clear the organisations
direction, providing a clear picture of what the business will look like in 5 10 years time. Vision
provides the big picture. Vision provides the north star by which everyone in the organisation
navigates. It sets the context for action.
Directional: An effective vision provides direction and makes clear where the organisation is going. This
means that a vision needs to be specific enough to shape decision-making and appropriately broad to
allow innovative strategies for realizing the vision.
Clear: An effective vision provides guidance for decision-making and independent action. This requires
the vision to be clearly articulated and easily understood. The vision must clarify focus, direction and
constraints, to ensure that scare resources are focused on the most strategic initiatives. Vision that is clear
enables effective allocation of scare resources. Clarity allows individuals across the organisation to have a
shared sense of whats important and whats not, to ensure that they are free to act within those
constraints.
Relevant: An effective vision is grounded in and an extension of the organisations past. Visions dont
exists in a vacuum. They exist within the current reality and talks to the context in which the organisation
exists. The vision must be relevant to the organisation and the times, it reflects the organisations response
to the challenges of the day. An effective vision is a good fit with the organisations history, current
reality, culture and values. An effective vision connects what has happened in the past to the desired
future this gives the vision credibility.
Purpose-Driven: An effective vision provides a larger sense of purpose for the organisation and its
people. That purpose must be more meaningful than getting bigger or beating the competition. Purpose is
about why we exist and why anyone should care. Vision connects people to a meaningful purpose,
allowing them to feel that they are part of something bigger than themselves. As Steve Jobs said, Were
here to put a dent in the universe. Otherwise why else even be here?
Values Based: An effective vision connects people to the oganisations core values. Values are the beliefs
or ideals that the organisation shares about whats good or bad. They influence the behaviour and attitude
of people. Given this values are deeply connected to an organisations vision. Vision implies a set of
values and beliefs that are required to support who organisations need to become to execute the vision.

Challenging: An effective vision challenges us, its an invitation to greatness. A vision is a goal that
should challenge us, stretch us and set a high standard for the organisation. Effective visions represent a
future that is beyond what is possible today or what we think possible tomorrow. It is the highest level
goal that unites and challenges an organisation.
Unique: An effective vision reflects whats unique about the organisation, it recognizes what makes it
different. A vision is unique when it declares what makes the organisation stand out and why it matters.
Vision must make clear the activities that the organisation will and will not pursue, the capabilities to be
developed and the market position it will occupy.
Vivid: An effective vision provides a vivid mental image of what the organisation will be like in the
future. Well crafted visions describe the future in a way that is easy to imagine and to picture in the
minds eye. What would it feel like to work in the future organisation? What would it be like for
customers who engage with this organisation?
Inspiring: An effective vision engages and inspires people to commit to a cause. Vision appeals to the
hearts and minds of people. Vision is inspiring when it captures the hearts of people. Vision is inspiring
when it stops you in your tracks, grabs your heart and causes you to pay attention. An effective vision
moves you emotionally, creating a desire to sign up to the cause.
Review your company vision, is it effective?
Does your vision exhibit the characteristics of an effective vision as described above?
What changes do you need to make to ensure your vision is effective?
Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly
drive it to completion. Jack Welch, Former Chairman, General Electric