Marcella Vail, The Daily Record Newswire
I love running. Just talking about it sends me into a state of euphoria. I spend more time than I care to admit researching and building training regimens, and I am passionately opinionated about running gear. I even have 26.2 — the length in miles of a marathon — and running wings tattooed on my ankle (sorry Mom).
Despite my passion, I find that when I’m not training for a race, my reason for running becomes murky. My motivation shrinks. I skip workouts. My weekly mileage decreases. And excuses for not running are easy to find. To advance my running goals, setting and moving toward a big vision is essential.
The same is true for the daily grind of business.
Why does a vision matter to businesses?
American writer and futurist Alvin Toffler says, “You’ve got to think about big things while you’re doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.”
Identifying a clear vision for a company guides strategy, aligns decisions, and brings purpose and focus to employees. A company vision is quite simply a picture of what success will be at a particular point in the future. It encompasses answers to questions such as:
• What does our future company look like?
• How big are we?
• What are we known for?
• How do people feel about working here?
At first glance, setting a vision sounds like a simple concept. After all, we all dream about the future, keep “bucket lists,” and imagine ourselves accomplishing great things.
But when it comes to business, I’ve watched many Kinesis clients struggle to identify their big vision. Or, if they have a vision, it’s overly complicated and difficult to remember. Worse, it doesn’t get them excited (and if the leadership team isn’t excited, you can bet that employees won’t care about it either).
How does a company set its vision?
A great vision is inspiring and stretches the imagination. It gets everyone in the organization energized around a strategic rallying point. It’s a point on a map that sets a direction. From there, leaders can create a detailed strategic plan that tells how to get there.
Even more, identification of a vision also leads to faster growth. According to EMyth’s 2012 SOBO (State of the Business Owner) Report, “Companies with a written vision grow 50 percent faster than those without.”
Below is a list of starting questions. Dream big and focus on success:
• In five to 10 years, what will the company be famous for?
• How do you differentiate the organization?
• Why do people care about what you do?
• How do you serve customers in a unique way?
Take inspiration from others
Sometimes it is helpful to look at examples of existing companies. The vision statements below belong to successful and enduring companies:
Amazon: “To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.”
Avon: “To be the company that best understands and satisfies the product, service and self-fulfillment needs of women — globally.”
Starbucks: “To share great coffee with our friends and help make the world a little better.”
Dreams matter. And, chances are, it was a big dream that prompted the start of your business. Keep your vision alive and let it power every task, initiative and decision along the way.
Here’s to crossing the finish line and reaching your big vision … and then of course, gearing up for the next big race!
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Marcella Vail is a senior strategist at Kinesis. Contact her at marcella@kinesisinc.com.
