It’s the Vision Thing

I’ve recently been working with several clients on their vision statements. It’s been fascinating work, remarkably hard graft, but hugely energising too. One client in particular had been struggling to capture the essence of their business; we had tried multiple times. Then finally, one of the owners said, “You know what, it’s actually such and such that really gets me excited, that’s what my real passion is about.”

This wasn’t actually a new discovery, this sense had been shaping their work already, but getting a really sharp focus on it, gave huge energy and purpose. They have revamped their marketing and sales strategies in the light of this perspective, and have seen improved results already in just 6 weeks!!

In another client, we were discussing the possible purchase of a new business; in many ways it looked very attractive, competitively priced and would add some functionality the business would need. But, it would also have diluted his strategic focus on a particular market; so in the end the decision was niet!

Someone once said you haven’t got a business plan till you have said no to something and I think there’s a lot of truth in that. I’m involved in another very different organisation, which is also revising its vision, for the next 10 years or so. Again, this has sharpened up people’s thinking and has set us off down some new and interesting avenues. Trouble is, it also means saying no to some things and steady as she goes to others; I guess it wouldn’t be much of a vision if it didn’t. But of course for some members of the organisation, that’s not such good news and so I guess it points up the need to keep on explaining and communicating the vision, to bring as many people with you as you can.