In today’s constantly changing world, it can be harder than ever for leaders to plan a clear vision for where they and their team need to go. In her August 21 “Calling the Game” video, Bobbie LaPorte shares some tips for finding a middle ground where you can provide some certainty and direction—without getting overwhelmed by the pressure to craft a perfect visionary plan.
Navigating “the Vision Thing” – Balancing Clarity and Change in Leadership
Hi, this is Bobbie LaPorte, back with another week of “Calling the Game,” where I share my own experience and insights while giving you valuable tools you can use to call your own game…and plan the best moves for you and your team.
This week I want to talk about “the vision thing.” Yup – that thing. I’m pretty sure you know what I am referring to…. that picture you feel you have to paint on where you want your team/organization to go. That perfect clarity you have been trained to believe has to be present for people to buy in, to follow your lead, to see the road ahead.
And yes, for the most part your team and others would like for you to articulate your “vision” for the organization. Remember: our brains don’t like uncertainty…….so creating certainty where you can is clearly important, now more than ever.
But here’s the issue: in this changing environment, it is tough to actually articulate a definitive picture of what “the vision” is. Many leaders struggle with this; they feel pressure to be visionary, and that often results in them avoiding tackling it altogether because they just feel they will fall short.
Many of you are trying to strike a balance between setting a strategy and getting results. Every day you are dealing with changing priorities from senior management, handling ongoing change, and putting out daily fires.
Who has time for vision?
So, is there a middle ground here to provide some direction and certainty to your team while not feeling that it has to be “perfect?” I think so.
To get there, here are three ideas to consider:
- Most leaders are in a changing, continuously evolving environment, and this may not be the right time to craft the “big” vision statement. Consider asking your direct reports what is most important for them to hear from you – now – and initially focus there.
- That said, it is important at some point to develop and share what you see as the future for your team, something they can buy into and that will guide their work. We all need to have a sense of how what we do every day connects to the bigger picture.
- As your world continues to shift, think about how you can help your team build the necessary orientation to adapt to ongoing change. As the strategy and direction of the company likely will change, how your team gets there probably will as well. Setting expectations for this will help ground them in the reality of today’s environment and also create some needed certainty – even if it’s only that there will be more change.
The ”vision” thing really is a thing and an important one. Just don’t let it overwhelm you and keep you from sharing what you can – now. That is far better than trying to craft the perfect vision statement, and it takes an unnecessary load off you, as well.
OK, that’s it for this week’s “Calling the Game.” Hope this helps you gear up for a great week and navigate any curveballs that may come your way!