Unfortunately there is often a disconnect between the vision statement that an organization "adopts" and the practical day-to-day activities of its people. The vision itself can be good and right and even well stated, yet struggle to penetrate the organizational culture and therefore influence how the organization functions.
This morning I was inspired on that subject by an excerpt from Dr. John Maxwell's book "The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork" that was cited in my devotional email from Equip. In this short writing Dr. Maxwell starts down a path that leads to operationalizing vision within any organization.
"Arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them-the children of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses." Joshua 1:2-3
People need to be shown the team's vision clearly, creatively, and continually. Whenever I endeavor to cast vision with the members of my team, I use the following checklist. I try to make sure that every vision message possesses the following:
For vision to be realized it has to make its way into an organization's culture and continually inspire its people. For that to happen the vision needs to show up everywhere. From stories to strategies, actions to emails, in conversations and presentations -- when most everything a leader says and does connects back to the vision that dream can begin to take hold. Otherwise the vision statement might look good on the letterhead but that's about all it can do.
- Clarity: brings understanding to the vision (answers what the people must know and what you want them to do)
- Connectedness: brings the past, present, and future together
- Purpose: bring direction to the vision
- Goals: bring targets to the vision
- Honesty: brings integrity to the vision and credibility to the vision-caster
- Stories: bring relationships to the vision
- Challenge: brings stretching to the vision
- Passion: brings fuel to the vision
- Modeling: brings accountability to the vision
Excerpt from The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork
- Strategy: brings process to the vision
