Do You Really Need a Vision for Your Organization?

Think about how you currently set goals for your business. Maybe you set your objectives on an annual basis. Or maybe you set a plan for the upcoming year only to get off track in the first quarter. Or you might wing it.

Now, consider: Have you experienced the growth you desire for your organization? If not, you likely have a lack of clarity around your vision. You can’t drift to where you want to go.

Vision defines where you’re going. It’s aspirational and forward looking. We recommend planning three years out. It’s long enough that you can dream big, but it’s not so far out that you can’t imagine what it could be like. There are several benefits to clarifying and communicating your vision.

The Benefits of Having a Clear Vision

My family was planning our travel for the next year. And as we got clearer on what we needed, we decided to take our daughter to visit some colleges. One of those was Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.

As soon as we told others our family was going to visit Belmont, we had several people reach out with recommendations. They suggested we go to Monnell’s, walk around Hillsboro, and go to the Grand Ole Opry. None of those recommendations included going downtown to Broadway and the Honkey-tonks, which wouldn’t have been a good fit for our family on this trip.

Clarifying the purpose of our trip meant others were clear on what we needed for recommendations. Your vision works the same way.

1. Vision serves as a magnet that attracts better resources. When others knew the purpose of our trip, they had better suggestions for us. If your employees, team members, clients, vendors, investors, and peers know your vision, you’ll attract better resources. If they can see your vision too, they will want to help.

2. Vision attracts better team members. If a prospective employee is excited about your vision and where you’re going as an organization, they’ll want to be a part of it. Someone who is motivated by your vision will be the best fit for your culture and already have intrinsic motivation to do their job well.

3. Vision serves as a filter. Once you’re able to define where you want to be in three years, you can filter all your decisions through that lens. Does the opportunity get you closer to our vision? No? Then it’s a distraction. You probably started your business by taking advantage of every opportunity that came along. And that was what you needed at the time. But that isn’t sustainable. A clear vision will help you focus on the right kinds of growth.

The vision is about the what and the why. Don’t get tripped up by focusing on the how.

Where Do You Want to Go?

A vision is only a filter and magnet if it is clear. Oftentimes, we only have our vision in our heads, and it is fuzzy—even to us.

So, where do you want to go? What do you want to be true as a leader and for your organization? Think through each area of your business—finance, sales, marketing, product/service, team, culture, and so on.

Download our free Clear Vision Checklist to help you think through all the areas to cover in your organization’s vision. And check out our business services if you’d like some help.