“Without a vision, the people cast off restraint!”

A better known translation of this proverb ends “..... the people perish!” but I think this one gives a better sense of the meaning and value.

Previously I talked about the power of vision as a motivator.

Today I think this proverb talks to the idea of vision as a regulator in the sense of setting direction and providing consistency of purpose.

Without a clear understanding of where the organisation is trying to get to, people will either do their best to work it out and act in accordance with that or work on the things they think are important.

Which can lead to uncertainty, confusion and loss of focus, which affects performance and long term success.

If our teams are clear about the destination, they can:

▶  Use it to guide decision-making – “will this action move us towards or away from our vision?”

▶  Ask themselves – “what can we do to move us nearer”

Toyota talk about having a “True North” – a clear sense of purpose that guides everything they do and helps everyone stay aligned.  I’ve found this a great idea to help in my work over the years.

So how clear is your organisation’s vision?  Can you sum it up in one sentence?  Can everyone in the organisation articulate it clearly in a way that is meaningful to them?

As an example, mine is  “To help leaders and teams achieve operational excellence by equipping them with the thinking, tools and processes to do things better and faster at lower cost and with greater ease, because achieving exceptional results doesn’t have to be difficult.”

What would yours be?