In the previous segments of our Visioning Tips series, you took a look at eleven different steps for generating creativity and homing in on your vision. In this next segment, you'll take a look at how you might transform your vision into a guiding light for the next era of your enterprise. Need to catch up? Check the list of links below, or start from the beginning of the Ivy Sea Visioning Series.

From apathy to action
VISION RENEWAL: TRANSFORMING YOUR VISION INTO A GUIDING LIGHT

When you (or others in your organization) read the statement of vision for your enterprise or group, what is the response? Genuine enthusiasm? Passion? Ambivalence? Apathy? Cynicism? Each of these responses is telling, and each can be very useful in doing a vision tune-up.

A vision is meant to guide and inspire; a mission is meant to be lived in daily action. Yet without proper attention, deliberate reflection and mindful care, an individual's or an organization’s vision can become a parody of itself — meaningful to a few people (if any) and practiced inconsistently (if at all). If your personal or organizational vision has been reduced to nothing more than a statement in a frame on the wall (or if it wasn't very inspiring to begin with), it’s time for a little transformation.

The sort of transformation we're talking about doesn’t require months of mindless meetings, piles of flip charts and dictionaries of words. If upon a closer inspection, your organizational vision seems dry, irrelevant or just outdated, it's time to use it as a foundation from which to launch a new vision. If your vision still serves as an accurate representation of what you want your organization to endeavor towards, it’s not the vision that needs to change, but rather the perceptions of it and actions that it inspires.

What is required is an honest commitment from the people in your enterprise to make the vision a reality and to turn perceived apathy into action.

Five Tips to Start a Transformation:

Conduct a vision check-in. Revisit the vision, and gauge the response (enthusiasm, passion, ambivalence, apathy, cynicism?). Ask yourself (or discuss as a group) "What's the point?" or "So what?" Decide whether the vision needs an overhaul or a simple tune-up (both as a concept and how the individuals of the organization are "taking the vision into action" on a daily, weekly and monthly basis).

Recap accomplishments and disappointments. Review the accomplishments that you or your group have realized, and note any particular disappointments for the same period of time. As a basis for comparison, what do these accomplishments and disappointments tell you? In three or six or twelve months, what accomplishments would you like to list? What difference would you like to have made? What disappointments would you like to make amends for or eliminate from the next list?

Start with yourself. Name at least five actions you can perform each week to demonstrate the vision. Stretch your thinking to encompass more and greater activity than what is your norm. Ink these actions into your planner, and make them so.

Encourage others. Ask the individuals in your group to identify how their own actions might support the vision (or be done in a way that is in keeping with the spirit of the vision), and include measurable vision-performance goals in any evaluations or your own or your group's performance. Also, ask others to share the vision in their own words; what resonates with them? Where do they see parallels with their personal visions and goals? This level of ownership can help increase their commitment to the vision and the likelihood that it will be achieved.

Talk it up. Hiding the vision in a select few "official" documents, picture frames and employee handbooks only renders it more meaningless and strengthens the barriers between it and day-to-day activity and organizational culture. Be certain that formal communication efforts, meaningful dialogue and business decisions are infused with the organization’s vision and reason for being.

Check back next month for a round of new content to foster inspired leadership, vision and creativity.

In case you've missed previous tips...

We'll have thirteen tips in all, so mark your calendar and bookmark the Series Intro page now. Don't miss these previous installments to our Visioning Tips Series:

Visioning Series Kickoff — A few great reasons to bother with visioning

Visioning Tip #1 — Prime the pump: Loosen up with some "get-started" dialogue

Visioning Tip #2 —The reflection connection: What's most important?

Visioning Tip #3 — Activate your senses: Get your brain storming with creativity

Visioning Tip #4 — Identify your emerging themes

Visioning Tip #5 — Noticing where your key themes are already at work

Visioning Tip #6 — What do people call your company when you're not in ear-shot?

Visioning Tip #7 — How do your personal ethics affect your vision, and others?

Visioning Tip #8 — Is your vision based on someone else's standards?

Visioning Tip #9 — Getting clear on your "vision story"

Visioning Tip #10 — Powerful questions to energize your group

Visioning Tip #11 -- Vision as an anchor in challenging times

Remember, this information is food-for-thought. The most effective approach is the one that's been tailored to meet the unique needs of your group. If you have questions, connect with someone who can provide a perspective you trust and value, or e-mail us at info@ivysea.com.