We all want passionate employees who perform at peak levels as often as possible, right? One part of achieving that is, of course, to hire the right people who come already with passion and self-motivation to perform.
But that's just the start. Employees with those qualities are highly sought after by organizations, and holding on to them takes work. Yet, too often, business leaders are caught up in data, numbers, and quarterly targets. They lose focus on the less tangible aspects of building a high-performing organization. The result is that their best people burn out or get bored, and they leave. This can have a devastating effect on an organization.
To avoid this scenario, a leader must become a visionary self-starter.
You see, the top driver for organizational performance isn't its market position or the quality of its product or service; it's employee engagement. Companies with high employee engagement levels perform significantly better, achieving better customer ratings, profitability, and productivity.
And that stems from forging a vision with which employees can connect emotionally. Without a captivating vision, leaders risk losing the engagement and dedication of their employees.
Developing a vision starts by looking at what's coming on the horizon: Innovations that lead to new opportunities, new technologies, or even a regulation change. You can employ frameworks such as PESTEL, Porter's Five Forces, or SWOT analysis to help you identify the prominent trends that will impact your business. We've talked about how to develop your vision as a leader, and some of how you build your vision will depend on whether you're a director or manager in a large corporation or an entrepreneur developing a startup.
The purpose of doing these exercises is to help you identify what the future should look like for your organization and how it fits into a rapidly changing world. Once you have that, crafting your vision statement becomes the next important step. This statement should articulate the positive impact the organization seeks to make in the world, tying it back to core activities. The vision should be a guiding light, steering the organization towards a better future.
Next, it's essential to communicate your vision with your team and employees successfully. This should not be a one-time event but a continuous process that regularly reinforces the vision. You might start with a company-wide video (if you're in a large company) or a team meeting (if you're a startup) to introduce your vision. Afterwards, though, it's a good idea to conduct workshops or team events to allow team members to provide feedback and explore how they can contribute to it in their daily tasks. This collaborative approach fosters a sense of ownership and can often spark innovative ideas that align with the overarching vision.
Repetition is critical to embedding the vision into the organizational culture. Visual management, using the vision as a title line on presentations, and incorporating it into periodic reviews keep it alive and top of mind for employees. Regularly asking, "Are we still aligned with our vision?" during assessments ensures that the vision remains relevant and guides decision-making.
For those eager to delve deeper into visionary leadership, we have a comprehensive course soon!
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