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It’s said that if you don’t see yourself at a better place, you might never be able to reach there. The business environment and dynamics are changing today more than ever before and people who are forward thinkers and who look beyond the present are being valued.
One important trait that distinguishes leaders from managers is that leaders are visionary. Visionary leaders see possibilities and solutions in situations of disruptions, dead-ends, and pitfalls. Visions also serve as a powerful source of motivation to rise up again after every failure. Whether the situation in which leaders are right now is prosperous or not, they have an eye to view a better tomorrow. This makes them competent in directing and channelizing their efforts in that direction. Visionary leaders don’t succumb to failures or stagnancy. There is no room for complacency in this world. Soon or later, you either see yourself or your company move as per the future requirements or you get replaced by someone who does.
History has seen that the world has changed when people have not only created a better vision for the future but also believed in it and worked towards it relentlessly, irrespective of any surety of success. Some of the visionary leaders are Thomas Edison who gave us the electric blub; Henry Ford who with him vision made the owning car a reality to ever family and so on.
Characteristics of a Good Vision
A good vision is participative: A vision is initially only a thought but soon becomes a driving force that changes people, teams, and organizations. The vision that a leader has for an organization or for a team is not just meant for one person. It is no doubt started by one person but others join hands and soon it becomes a win-win for everyone attached to the vision. Vision in leaders attracts commitment and participation from others. The people involved with the vision understand that they all have certain roles to play in making the vision a reality. The participating approach makes others more engaged and motivated to work towards that common goal.
Vison must have clarity: Sometimes, it happens that the leader might as well have to convince others to see the vision that he is seeing. The clearer the vision, the more others will be convinced to believe upon it. Vague visions are not effective. A vision should look compelling and meaningful to the people who are listening to the vision. Everyone must believe that the vision might benefit them too.
A vision moves people beyond their comfort zone: A good vision makes people better, stronger and enables them to stretch beyond their comfort zone. A vision must get people excited to attain a futuristic goal and bring out the passion in them to put in more hard work and commitment. Visionary leaders give the gift of vision and use it as a tool to inspire others. A leader’s vision gives others a strategy and action plan to walk upon.
A good Vision Requires Good Communication: An imagination or a vision becomes meaningless until it is followed by actions. A vision is a future that the leaders not only imagines but also motivates others to move towards the same. Hence a visionary also communicates this vision to make that a source of motivation as well as compelling for others to work upon. A visionary leader expresses his passion, clarity, purposeful, sincere, attainability and his compassion for the vision. He also ensures that all the other team members work toward the common goal, the goal of accomplishing the vision.
Will you want to work for a company that has a future or not? Will you want to work for a manager who sees the future or not? Obviously, yes! That’s because your future as an individual is linked to the futuristic approach of your company and your boss. However, it’s also important that you become the person who has a vision for himself as well as for his team. This trait will surely distinguish you and give you an edge during job interviews, appraisals, etc.
So, the next time when someone asks you what is your personal vision or, do you align yourself with the vision of your team or organization is? Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years? Will your answer have incorporated all the above features?
