| tart --> | | | | a reality, and in so doing, the Vision becomes clearer |
| Vision informs the future state of the successful | | | | as we go and more likely to become so. |
| business. The reason that most small businesses fail is | | | | Listen and Observe |
| because there is no clear line of sight between the | | | | Creating Vision in the value-based business then is a |
| goals and objectives of the business and its envisioned | | | | process of discovery through action. The successful |
| future. | | | | business owner and effective manager is always |
| Without Vision, the business never gets the right things | | | | listening to and observing what is going on in their |
| done and, in fact, often gets the wrong things done, or | | | | business in relation to the external world. |
| gets nothing done at all. Such a business is destined to | | | | The Vision for the business, imparted with, through and |
| wander aimlessly and lose its direction entirely. | | | | for others, is the result of this ongoing process and a |
| Everyone may look busy in such a business, but this | | | | growing understanding of what the Vision means. All |
| should not be mistaken for productivity or achieving | | | | business activities being undertaken are sifted through |
| results. A business without a Vision has no clarity, no | | | | the lens of Vision. |
| coherence and no future. Such a business is operating | | | | One of the highly valued qualities of good leadership is |
| on borrowed time and fruitless energy and invariably | | | | this ability to listen to all the voices, including customers |
| ends up in a place that it does not want to be. | | | | and employees, and once having listened to them, |
| Setting the Vision for the small business is an | | | | determine the course of action that must be taken in a |
| imperative and is critical for its success. It ensures that | | | | decisive way. |
| all the streams of organizational activity are aligned | | | | Hone and Evaluate |
| and in keeping with the notion of doing one thing well | | | | As the Vision is enacted and used as a filter for |
| and in pursuit of excellence. | | | | discernment and determining new courses of action, |
| A Vision Statement is not just a pithy saying that sits | | | | the Vision itself becomes clearer, more vivid and |
| below an inspirational picture that hangs on the wall. | | | | indeed more apparent. |
| For it to achieve its full effect, the Vision of the | | | | The Vision for a business then is a dynamic reality that |
| business has to be a lived reality by all of the people in | | | | requires continual refinement, in light of initiatives that |
| the business. It is the future that is created for the | | | | are executed in the business. |
| business, and it forms an integral part of the business | | | | The sense of Vision in the successful, value-based |
| performance management process. | | | | business then informs all business policy development. |
| Fulfilling the Vision is the key benchmark against which | | | | The Vision in turn is informed by the unfolding nature of |
| business development and risk management are | | | | the business as it grows and develops. |
| measured. Effective and successful business owners | | | | It is critically important to review the words that |
| are always asking the question, "How does this activity | | | | encapsulate the Vision on a regular cycle to ensure |
| further our Vision?" | | | | that the words used reflect the true nature of the |
| There are four key perspectives required in developing | | | | Vision of the business. |
| clarity around Vision in small business. | | | | Reaffirm |
| Action | | | | The cycle of visioning in business never ceases. The |
| A sense of Vision in the business has to be aligned | | | | envisioned future must be reinvigorated and |
| and integrated with the Mission and Values of the | | | | reaffirmed, in light of actions taken, ongoing listening |
| business. Vision is the living out of the Mission and | | | | and observation and evaluation. In the value-based |
| behaving in the right way. Vision is something you do. | | | | business, the Vision must be reaffirmed at least on an |
| Vision is venturing out into a future that is unknown, | | | | annual basis for it to maintain its freshness and |
| and it is refined and understood more clearly only as it | | | | relevance. |
| is enacted. | | | | If this is not done, it will revert to just being another |
| Remember, there are no futures in that sense, apart | | | | catchy marketing slogan, with no substance, that soon |
| from the ones that we create for ourselves. We set | | | | becomes obsolete and irrelevant. |
| out toward this envisioned future and act as if it were | | | | |