How to Cast an Inspiring Vision

At the core of leadership, is the power of vision. And in my estimation, that’s the most potent offensive weapon in the leader’s arsenal.

Solomon said, "We're there is no vision, people perish" (Proverbs 29:18).

The opposite is true, too-- "Where there IS vision, people come alive and thrive!"

Seeing something better

Vision in any organization is simply a mental picture of where the organization can be in the future. Vision moves us mentally from what actually IS to what CAN be.

Andy Stanley says it this way, “Vision is about what could be and should be.”

So how do the strongest leaders use vision to accelerate their mission and cause?

I find that many leaders learn to leverage the power of vision to inspire in a myriad of ways.The most inspirational leaders leverage vision to…

1. Creates Ownership

As the leader, it’s true that no one loves "your baby" like you do. However, when your team knows and feels the vision of the organization...

• They will care more.
• They will work harder and longer to see the vision completed. 
• They will even sacrifice for it.

The reason for this increased commitment is purpose. You have given your team a reason to come to work, and you have answered the “why this matters” question in their hearts.

2. Creates Focus

It seems that the greatest temptation of any organization is to drift away from its original purpose. Teams and people over time tend to define their own wins within the organization. Things move from simple to complex over time.

Personally, I lead a fast-growing ministry. Within the context of a church, pastors feel the pressure to have a ministry to all people. Giving in to this pressure will ensure that the church will never reach its intended goal. The same is true for your organization.

In order to achieve the vision, everyone within the organization needs to stay focused on the main objective, which means saying no to lots of good and new ideas.

3. Helps People Navigate Change

Every organization goes through change. It seems that people like the idea of changing things until they have to change! Navigating through organizational change can be among the hardest tasks of a leader.

A compelling vision will help people navigate through the necessary transitions because they will know why you are making the changes. Quite simply, you're staying "on mission" with "the vision."

So, the changes make sense... 

Years ago when our church made significant programming changes, stylistic changes, and facility changes, we tied it all back to the vision. This certainly didn’t satisfy everyone, but many did understand and get behind the changes.

If you want to help people move through changes with you, be sure that the vision is the reason for the change.

4. Gets People Excited and Motivated

This may be my favorite benefit of a clear vision. The reality is that people thrive on hope. Hope is a positive emotion that things will be better in the future than they are today, and vision gives people hope.

When the people who work in your organization believe that the best days of the organization lie ahead and that they get to be a part of creating that future, their passion is triggered, and they become more engaged.

People want to be part of a winning team that is going somewhere. You, as the leader, provide that motion with a clear and compelling vision.

Beware the whirlwind

Those are four things vision does-- and why we should continue casting an recasting the vision. Vision...

1. Creates Focus
2. Creates Ownership
3. Helps People Navigate Change
4. Gets People Excited and Motivated

As you can see, vision is the most potent offensive weapon in a leader’s arsenal. An important thing to remember, however, is that visions leaks.

Within the context of every organization exists something that Chris Machesney calls the “whirlwind.” The "whirlwind" is...

• all of the urgent demands that need to be handled
• everything that the organization has to do every day to stay in business.
• a distraction to the organization’s overall goal

It’s precisely because of this phenomenon that leaders must keep the vision out in front of the troops. If the leader doesn’t, the vision is lost.

Effective leaders are always monitoring vision leakage by asking questions like…

• What is the current vision of your church or business?
• Does your team know it and feel it?
• What can you do in the next 3 months to clarify your vision?

Danny Anderson, the author of this post, is one of our coaches at Courage to Lead.

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