Vision and Direction

The first time I visited my client’s two locations in China I immediately recognized the symptoms of the lack of a clear vision and direction. The team was working hard every day without a clear understanding of what the end results should be and why they were doing what they were doing. This made it difficult to hit short-term performance goals. Why? Because, the individuals performing the work need clarity in order to ask better questions and make better decisions when it comes to execution. To achieve superior results in business you have to know where you want to go. Every business requires a clear vision and direction.

1. Clarity of Direction: Success depends on having clarity of direction. Clarity of where the business is going provides a picture of the future and the opportunity to set the course to get there. Without it the business will meander aimlessly off course and likely will not even meet short-term and long-term performance goals. Every journey starts with a clear vision of where you are currently and where want to go. It is not any different in business. Successful businesses have clarity of direction and a compelling vision for their organization.
2. Communication: Once the organization has created a clear direction for the future of the company, it must be communicated to everyone within the organization. This gets everyone in the same boat and rowing in the same direction—and the only way to accomplish this is with regular and effective communication. Communicating the vision of the future gives those working within your organization confidence and hope for a brighter future that they can be a part of. It also provides meaning and purpose because most employees want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
3. Goals: With a clear vision and direction in place, the business and staff now need goals and action plans to help bridge the gap between the current state and the desired future. Creating a map to guide you from where you are to where you want to go is critical to your success. We create maps by chunking down your vision and direction into 90-day goals and action plans. Goal setting marks your path, and meeting those goals provides ongoing propulsion to power you toward your desired destination.