Create a Vision and Share it

At a recent presentation to the Chamber of Commerce I talked about the need for leaders in all businesses to have a clear vision and be able to articulate it clearly to others. In an ideal world a leader may include their team in establishing the vision, but this isn’t essential, however, inspiring and engaging people with the vision is.

A vision allows your employees and your customers to know what you aspire to be, it integrates your values, keeps you moving forward and inspires you and everyone in your business. The vision conveys a larger sense of purpose so that employees see themselves building a product or providing a service that makes a real difference. A vision that inspires and engages your team can be immensely powerful.

Here’s an example of one well known company:

“Create experiences that combine the magic of software with the power of Internet services across a world of devices.”

If you didn’t recognize it this is Microsoft’s vision.

So when drafting your own vision there are several questions to get your creative juices flowing before you start:

• Why did I start this business?

• Should I leave this company, what do I want to leave behind?

• What do I really provide for my customers beyond products and services?

• If my business could be everything I dreamed, how would it be?

Remember to think big, capture your passion – people are inspired by your dreams!

Are You a Collaborative Leader?

In the July/August issue of Harvard Business Review there is an interesting article centred on the question of “Are you a collaborative leader?” by Herminia Ibarra and Morten T Hansen. They outline the need for collaboration in business in the Social Media age, but also caution against trying to collaborate and reach consensus on everything.  Key elements to doing this well from top CEOs include role modelling collaborative behaviours, seeking to connect people both within and outside the organisation and knowing how and when to keep teams from getting bogged down in discussion. To illustrate the article the authors draw upon the strategies of executives from companies including GE and Akamai.  To discuss how you can develop leadership behaviours in your organisation call 08444 827280.