“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision” ~ Helen Keller
Start with your Purpose
When you have vision, you inspire people to go along with you to reach a specified destination. With a vision, individuals get on board, follow you and find the right path to success. To have vision, first and foremost, you must create a clear purpose.
You may not oversee the vision for your company, but ask yourself, “What is the purpose of the area I am responsible for?” This includes the outcomes you hope to achieve and the expected results you want to deliver. Paint a picture of the future you desire and how your team can engage to fulfil your big picture view. A clear purpose, points individuals in the right direction, just like a compass. This helps you motivate and influence your team to “buy into” your vision.
When individuals buy in, they feel inspired and that is when you can move mountains and achieve what seems like the impossible. Your purpose ensures you have alignment; for you and your team to move in the same direction to reach your desired destination.
Focus on the Essentials
When you have your priorities in line – you and the team are acting on the right things. We cannot do everything, so we need to focus on the most essential things that will deliver the greatest value. Focus ensures you are looking at what is the best use of your and your team’s time.
Ask yourself, “Am I focused on the most essential things, and will this help us achieve our goals and reach our outcome?” This enables you to be more decisive and chart a clear path to address the change and volatility happening around you.
Clarify the Why
When we know why we are doing something, we are more successful. Many times, we share the “what”, but we fail to share the “why”. Oftentimes individuals say, “I understand what we are supposed to do, but I am not clear on why we are doing this”.
It is important to communicate the specific goals that you have in mind and link them to specific behaviors you want your team to embody. When expectations become clear through a shared “why”, individuals can get on board and achieve positive change.
An analogy of this is when an airplane is traveling between two cities. On any given flight, the airplane is only on track 5% of the time. The other ninety-five percent is spent getting back on track, due to wind and air pressure.
This is similar to having well-defined goals. Just like you need to know whether you are traveling to New York or California, for example, by identifying your goals you can be clear on your destination. When you communicate where you are going, and why you are going there, your team will go along with you and achieve greater success reaching your goal.
To instill your vision, you must look for opportunities to coach, inspire and engage your team around your purpose, your priorities, and your goals to ensure everyone is heading in the right direction. And remember, you do not have to be the “leader” of your team to engage and inspire people. Now is a great opportunity to take ownership of your part and be the example for the rest of the team.
Sage Alliance, a Leadership Performance Company, provides coaching, teambuilding and assessments, workshops and speaking on topics including; leadership development, empowering teams, communications, lasting impressions, personal branding and building a coaching culture for executives and high-potentials – for both team and individual leaders.
Contact us today to discover how your organization can get the most through improved productivity, efficiency and direct impact to your bottom line, while leaders gain powerful insight, crystallize opportunities for growth and fine tune their strengths, enabling them to make the greatest impact. You can contact Shelley Hammell directly at shammell@thesagealliance.com.