In today's business world, having a leader with vision is more important than ever. With the rapid pace of change, businesses need to be able to adapt and evolve quickly in order to stay ahead of the competition.
A leader with a vision provides the direction and inspiration that employees need to stay motivated and focused on the company's goals. Without a clear vision, it can be difficult for employees to understand what they should be working towards. Leaders with vision are also able to make tough decisions and navigate through challenging times. This is because they have a clear understanding of where they want the business to go and what they need to do to get there. Having a leader with vision is essential for any company that wants to be successful in today's rapidly changing business environment.
In this episode, we will explore the concept of leadership and vision, and determine whether or not having a vision is essential for being a successful leader.
Listen to the Episode
Atiba de Souza: Without vision, the people will perish. Yet, and still we have leaders left and right, who are "leading" and they don't have clear vision. They don't have clear vision. And you know, the challenge there guys is this, really, really simply— if you don't know where you're going, you just accidentally might end up there.
Right? Where is there you have no idea. You have no idea. You know, I see companies all the time and there's been all sorts of research done about companies who lose their way. And one of the things that it comes back to is the fact that the leadership of the company did not cast great vision. Now, notice what I didn't say.
I didn't say they didn't cast compelling vision. I didn't say they didn't cast this vision that made people go, "YEAH!" And everyone ran out and wanted to just beat down doors to make it all work. I said they didn't even cast vision on a regular basis. Because what happens is— and this is what happens is so many organizations, and I dare say it's probably happening in yours right now. There are people in your company who have no idea what you stand for and where you're going. They don't know what the vision of your company is. They don't know what the values of your company are. They're just working for you. Well, if they're just working for you and they don't know where you're going, and they're not bought into where you're going, then how do you know they're working in the right direction?
Oh, well they have a manager. Guess what? I guarantee you, that manager doesn't even know either. That manager probably doesn't even know— I know, please understand. I'm not picking on you. I'm not picking on your company. This happens in mine too. Get this. Get this. I think they said it takes seven to nine times of casting vision for an employee before the employee even understands it.
So, how often are you casting it? Cause I got to look at myself and say, Hey, we're probably not even casting it enough in our organization. This is all of us. We've got to get better at casting vision for our companies. And not just for the senior people, but for everyone and making sure everyone understands. Your primary role as your team grows, as your business grows, is to cast vision and make sure that people are on the same page. Because without vision, the people will perish. Without vision, the people will perish. And if the people inside of your company perish, what happens to your organization? What are you leading? What are you leading?
So can you be a leader? Can you be a thought leader without having vision? No, you really can't. You must have vision. You must know where you're headed. You must know how you're going to make the world a better place and be able to communicate that to people so that they can understand it. That's the next side of having vision is casting that vision.
To everyone and understanding that not everyone is going to understand at the same level, you can't tell the same visionary story to everyone in your company, because it won't resonate with them. It won't resonate. And so you have to consider the different types of people in your company and how you communicate vision through— this is my opinion, the best way to do it is through story to your people. Put it in story, make it a story that they can understand and relate to, and people will grasp onto that vision. And then your entire company would be headed in the same direction.
You've had the cast a vision multiple times. They said, takes something like seven to nine times before someone even grasps what you're saying. Seven to nine times before they fully understand what you're saying. And then, you have to consider who you're talking to and how you task that vision in the story you use to cast that vision to them.
Is vision important to leadership? Absolutely. Absolutely. And if you haven't been casting vision, if you're in a place where maybe you don't even know what the actual vision— you haven't even thought past next week or next month or next year as to where your company is going. My friend, it's time. It's time.
It's time you take that time. And start to dream a bit and figure out where it is you're going and what that vision is and what that better brighter day is going to look like. Not just for you, but also for your customers and not just for your customers and for you, but also for you, your customers and your staff, and cast that vision. Cast that vision.
And make sure your people know it. You know, I've heard games and I haven't done these personally, but I've heard games at other companies who they'll give you an on spot— and this was obviously before we went fully remote and a lot of places are hybrid in a lot of places when you were still very much in brick and mortar, where owners would walk through the halls and just stop someone and say, "Hey, what's the company vision?"
And if they can articulate the company vision, they would drop the $20 in their hand right away.
Don't know that you have to go that far. Maybe you want to, but the key is you got to cast that vision and make sure your people know it. And that you're all on the same page, rowing in the same direction. So, is vision important? I guess by now, especially if you're still listening, you realize, I think it is.
I think it is. And it's time that you start casting it more and more and more inside of your organization. Alright, everybody. Talk to you later. Bye-bye.
