Visionary
Leadership Is Not An Option…
by Cheryl Paulette, CM
Associates
As business owners we have all felt the pleasures and pain of the economic swings. What was “normal” and predictable is a thing of the past. Our markets are constantly changing; consumers’ demands are ever evolving. Think about the last 12 months...has your competition caught you off guard or beat you to the punch landing a customer or launching a new product? Triumphs that made your company successful in the past may not serve you as well in the future.
Do You Recognize Some of the Common Pitfalls?
- You have a vision for your company, but you feel as if you’re all alone. Others do not seem to understand where the company needs to go.
- You know where the company should be headed, but daily interruptions prevent you from getting there. Your day is consumed fighting fires.
- You are surrounded by people who are ok at doing their jobs, but nothing more. You’re not sure how to motivate them to go the extra mile.
What’s
the Secret to Change?
Too
often upper management fails to communicate their company vision,
so employees feel like they are jumping through
endless hoops for
no apparent reason. The creation of a vision enhances
clarity of purpose
for all involved. It creates a shared commitment,
which in turn translates into increased employee productivity
and
loyalty. It
means everyone
knows where the company is headed...from the
CEO to the file clerk.
Without a vision, many factors, both internally and externally, can create major disruptions to worker effectiveness, and thus, your company’s success. Having a clear and easily communicated vision allows everyone to focus his or her business energy, talents and finances on the target. It allows management to filter out distractions that may seem important at the time, but don’t serve the bigger picture.
It takes passion, energy and commitment to action to turn a vision into reality. Many leaders shy away from creating a vision—not because they don’t believe in the process, but because they feel ill-prepared to initiate it. Emerson once wrote “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” So make the investment and share your vision with enthusiasm...you’ll be surprised how contagious it can be.
Where Do You Start?
A vision does not have to be lengthy or complex.
There are two key components:
- It must articulate the ideal or future destination for your company.
- It must incorporate meaningful and critical organizational values addressing employees and customers.
Research has shown that companies with a well-articulated and executed strategic vision perform better—significantly better. They have stronger track records of sustained profitable growth. So your first step to building a successful thriving business is to create a vision for your company...or maybe just refresh it.
When your employees share your vision with clarity and focus, exponential powers are unleashed to enable you to reach your destination. To hit the target, everyone needs to see the bull’s eye!
Cheryl Paulette, co-founder of CMA Consulting, has over 20 years of management consulting experience. CMA Consulting focuses on strategic planning, management and leadership development. We work with companies to identify, communicate and implement your vision, mission and goals...the company's road map to success!
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