Business owners must be out the front of their troops leading them into new frontiers.

 

Think of General Custer leading his army into battle.  Think of Alexander the Great.  Think of William Wallace.  Regardless of your political preference you have to admit that each of these leaders were renown for leading their troops into a battle demonstrating they were fully committed to the vision.  And you must, too.

 

Your people need to see you captivated by the Vision.

 

I’ve been known in the past to lead people where they never thought they would go just because I was fervently committed to the vision we shared.  I would work harder, longer and drive more productivity to make sure I added my strength to the team.  I would encourage them, I would coach them, I would even help lift their load at times.  I wanted them to know I was committed to the vision and I was committed to them being a successful part of it.  And I have to say my people responded.  Some weeks we would work long into the night together because of the shared commitment we enjoyed.  Other times, when my family needed me, I know I could count on the team to carry out what was necessary.  In one case I remember counseling a staff member to bring home-life balance into his perspective because he was spending too much time at work!  (I admired him for his diligent commitment, but family must come first!)

 

There’s a phrase we have as part of our Family Values that says “Lift Others As You Climb” and that typifies what I’m trying to convey.   Our job as the leader is to empower others to be successful.  We do this by helping them find and develop their strengths and then giving them ample opportunity to succeed in that area.  That means you have to promote them ahead of yourself and ensure they have every chance to succeed.  When you are able to show the people who have bought in to your vision that you believe they can help you will see them do the impossible!

 

One other key function of your leadership is to make sure the obstacles and detours are well managed.  There will be deviations from the plan which you as the leader will drive everyone safely through.  Don’t make the mistake of being so pig-headed (some called it committed to the plan) that you can’t adapt when necessary.  When the poo hits the fan your people will look to you for leadership.  Don’t let them down – lead!

It was Confucious who was famous for saying:

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”

 

My encouragement to all business people is about Vision.  Catch the Vision and Cast the Vision.  Your people will engage in a powerful vision that seems scary and impossible when they can see the part they play.  As you refocus them regularly on the Vision they will keep to the tasks and strategies that have been designed for purposeful success.  And when they look out front and see the Leader (you) being the sharp point of progress, they will muster all their strength to keep up.

 

Be the success they aspire to.

A vison must be visible to have a powerful, lasting impact on your business.

 

I have recently been working with a business coaching client to help them articulate a vision that will set the sails of their business for a successful and prosperous future.  As I have shared in the previous two posts, a vision can be described as powerful when:

(i)    the achievement of it seems almost impossible
(ii)   your team buys in to it and believe they can make it happen
(iii)  it is visible around the office
(iv)  the owner of the business is seen to be leading the charge

 

What does it mean to make that vision visible?

 

Many business owners often go to lavish expense and print posters of the vision, have them framed professionally and then mount them on the wall for all to see.  That’s weak.  That’s what you do with a trophy fish or deer.  You don’t want your vision statement to become something people point at and admire, remembering the day they ‘killed’ it, do you?  No, you want to bring life to your vision.

 

It is true that putting the vision on the wall is a good idea as long as it is not the only thing you do.  My reason for being so in your face about this is I wanted to yank your chain a bit to shake you out of the idea that a framed vision is guaranteed for success.  It’s not what visibility means.

 

The best way you can keep your vision visible and current with your team is to have a monthly vision meeting.  This meeting is dedicated to the single focus of the vision, no business-as-usual or operational distractions!  I know how very difficult this as to manage – the day to day operations of your business has a huge bearing on the future direction.  They key for you as the leader, is to drive the discussion towards ideas that are not limited by the current situation.  This way staff are encouraged to release themselves from their everyday limitation of resources, position or experience and have a free exploration of what could be possible.

 

If (and when) points arise that refer to current operations then you can “park” them on a list that can be addressed directly by the staff members who work in that department or carry that area of responsibility.  They have the most knowledge and can most easily remove obstacles when they are empowered by the leader and inspired by the vision.

 

By keeping these meetings regular you are reminding the team that the vision is a future destination they are constantly walking towards.  As I’ll discuss next time, they need you more than you think in this process.

Without leadership people flounder.

 

In my previous post I shared about a coaching session I had with a client who wanted to set a clear, compelling and captivating direction for their business.  I referred to this as a vision that was powerful.

 

To me a business vision can be described as powerful when:

(i)    the achievement of it seems almost impossible
(ii)   your team buys in to it and believe they can make it happen
(iii)  it is visible around the office
(iv)  the owner of the business is seen to be leading the charge

 

Today I want to share some thoughts and challenge you to address your vision.  Last time I discussed the first point, today the second.

 

TEAM BUY IN

Some business leaders feel they can print a vision statement and hang it on the wall and then declare it implemented.  How wrong they are.  Worse than that would be sending a group email to all staff advising them of the new vision and requesting participation.  I know you wouldn’t dream of doing something so stupid, would you?!

 

Your people are your greatest asset.  That means you have to treat them that way, respect their perpective and input, and invite them into the journey.  The way you do that is referred to as “casting vision”.  This phrase has been popularized by modern writers and is an age-old truth handed down since the writings of King Solomon.  This phrase, casting vision, refers to the process a leader engages themselves in to bring unity and cohesiveness so that everyone accepts the vision and moves forward as one combined force towards the destination.

 

Sharing vision with your team is more than speaking it out, it’s more like selling it.  Take my family, for instance.  If I have the “vision” to go the beach for the weekend I have to convince them its a good idea so they come along willingly.  (Many of you parents know how unenjoyable a weekend away with grumpy teenagers can be!)  While the idea of going to the beach for the weekend sounds like an easy vision to sell to my family, your vision should also sound like a great idea that people would want to be involved in!  Surely you’re not planning to set a vision to be the worst employer in town with a bad reputation – no way!  What I mean by this is you should have an easy sell to the team to get them on board.

 

The way to NOT get them on board is to assume that they will come for the ride, even of you don’t ask them.  Like most assumptions, that’s a bad assumption to make.  As I’ve learned with my family, don’t drag them along, invite them along and “sell” how much fun its going to be and how rewarding the result will be.

 

In conclusion, Team Buy In to your vision will make it powerful.  Here’s what my client is finding;  as they bring staff in for discussion meetings and invite open-minded thinking to the table for the development of strategy people are getting excited.  They’re talking about the future of the business during lunch, they’re swapping ideas over coffee, and they’re approaching the owners with suggestions they have about how the business can be improved so that it can reach the desired future.  Wouldn’t you love that in your business?

 

Next time I’ll discuss how important the visibility of your vision is, and I might not say it the way you think!

When did you last review your vision?  When did you last discuss it with your team?  Do your customers know where you are heading?

 

I spent a few hours this week with a coaching client who wants to refocus his team.  We talked about the need for a powerful and compelling vision that will bring unity and buy-in to the team of 27 in the office.

 

How do you capture the vision of a business?

This was a fun-filled 2 hours of challenging questions.  (Okay, it was fun for me!)  The other two guys sitting around the table often looked nervous and uncomfortable but, to their credit, they stuck it out.  I asked them questions like;

– what is your business currently known for?

– how do you want your staff to describe where they work?

– what dreams do you have as owners

– are there non-negotiable values that are necessary for moving forward?

 

While these questions only capture a small fragment of what we discussed, my point today is to challenge you all about the power of the vision you have in your business.

 

To me a business vision can be described as powerful when:

(i)    the achievement of it seems almost impossible
(ii)   your team buys in to it and believe they can make it happen
(iii)  it is visible around the office
(iv)  the owner of the business is seen to be leading the charge

 

Today, a short comment on the first characteristic;

ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE

A Vision has to stretch you, it has to be waaaaaay out there and challenging.

Those businesses who settle for a mediocre, easy to achieve vision are the ones who succeed despite their lack of energy.  They make money and enjoy the usual benefits of being in business, but its most likely that they do not have a great impact on the people they touch.

In comparison, those businesses who set out to achieve the scary, impossible dreams are the ones who have a wild adventure on the way to success.  There are some fantastic examples in Jim Collin’s work Built to Last and Good to Great.  In Built to Last the research team called this “Clock Building”, that is, they talk about the higher purpose of building something that is lasting, not simply something that is functional.  When you determine to build something that is lasting you are seeking to create something that has significance.  For me, its why we do business – to have a positive (significant) effect on other people.

Vision helps to set the direction far ahead in the future.  (I encourage you to read more on this, especially the chapter titled “Big Hairy Audacious Goals”.)

What does this mean for you?  I suggest you review your vision to determine if you are building a business that is not just successful, but significant.

 

“Of all the things I’ve done. the most vital is coordinating the talents of those who work for us and pointing them towards a certain goal.”

Walter Elias Disney, Founder, Walt Disney Company, 1954

 

Check out the next time when I’ll comment on the remaining three characteristics of a powerful vision.