“Our fearless leader took the stage and painted a wow-inspiring picture of the future. We left inspired and carried out the vision without delay. And we all lived happily ever after,” said No One. Ever.
To the chagrin of many a senior leader, the story is never quite that simple. Vision-casting often happens in the first three weeks of January, but the vision journey follows a different narrative. At best, you can expect to climb steep mountains, cross deep rivers, and meander through valley experiences.
Akeem, the actual story—the counternarrative—sounds more like this:
Our fearless leader took the stage and cast a vision for the future.
Some of our colleagues left on an emotional high.
They “got it” immediately.
The majority of us were left confused.
We needed more clarification.
Most people had questions.
What would change?
What would stay the same?
How would the changes affect my job?
Notice: Team members ask " would” instead of “will.” In their minds, vision is a scenario, not a sure thing. Even if the CEO mandates acceptance, the vision may or may not happen. There are so many moving parts.
Before the visionary leader can address many of the questions, team members start talking about the changes around the water cooler. They ask each other what they think. They will start to offer their advice and feedback, even if their leader has not asked for it. (What they’re doing is valid—it's one of five starting points for shared visioning explained in Chapters 3 and 5).
Pretty soon, a promising vision makes a sharp left turn toward what I like to call the Adoption Pit. This dreaded fate does not afflict every vision. It does happen often enough for one to wonder, “Why?”
Principle 3
21st-century organizations engage in a dynamic, multi-phased approach to visionary leadership.
We call this multi-phased approach the Vision360 Leadership Framework. My book Visionary Leadership: A Guidebook for 21st Century Organizations and Entrepreneurial Teams introduces this proprietary model to help leaders and teams transform vision into reality. Teaiiano Enterprises offers coaching and consulting services around the Vision360 Leadership Framework and approaches to allow managers, staff, and leaders to catch your vision.
Comments