In the previous segments of our Visioning Tips series, you took a look at (1) "priming the pump" with some exploratory dialogue, (2) the importance of allowing time for reflection in order to invite your deeper insights into the process, (3) creating a visual anchor to help sustain you as you're bringing your vision to life, (4) identifying your emerging themes, and (5) noticing where your key themes are already at work in your business. In this next segment, we'll identify where your key themes are already at work in your organization, and how you can seed them for future growth. Need to catch up? Start from the beginning of the Ivy Sea Visioning Series.

From buried to blossomed
DO YOU KNOW THE TRUE NAME OF YOUR COMPANY?

These days, new company names have increasingly become the object of jokes in the media, including late-night talk shows where comedian-hosts take aim at names like Innergy and Pilcatel. In his movie, Office Space, Writer-Director Mike Judge took a shot at ubiquitous but seemingly meaningless company names like InniTech and InniTrobe. The point? To suggest that there seems to be no point to the names of many companies except to earn the derision of jokesters and pundits.

Yet, even if your company name is unpretentious and straight-forward — John's Auto Body, for example — you also earn an unspoken name, stemming from how customers' or others' experience you and the representatives of the company. Ideally, this "name in thought only" is consistent with your organization's core values and vision of how you would like your employees and customers to describe or name your firm. Too often, however, the name might be something like, "That place with the lousy service," "The shop that wouldn't meet a deadline if they tripped over it," "The place with the cheap products," or "The firm that nickle-and-dimes you." And larger firms aren't immune: Just remember how, after laying off 40,000 people in 1996, AT&T was the focus of such public jokes as "Soon AT&T will stand for Allen & Two Temps" (Allen being the company's chief executive at that time).

Surely that can't be what you would hope! In a culture where consumers increasingly express their opinions with their wallets, negative public statements about your company can be corrosive. If you'd like your informal company name to be positive, or even visionary, and if you'd like it to speak volumes about you to prospective customers or employees, perhaps you might want to take a closer look at what you'd like that informal name to be. It's easy: Simply spend a few minutes, by yourself or with your team (preferably), to brainstorm the sorts of informal names you'd like to earn from those who interact with the business. And don't be self-congratulatory unless you're absolutely certain that you've earned it. Be honest about what name you might be earning from employees and customers, and whether that's okay with you. Nothing solidifies a team more than a common vision of doing great work together!

If you're feeling particularly daring, gather some feedback from current employees and customers about how they would describe you to others if they had to "give it a name" or put it in a short tagline. If it's not what you'd like them to be able to say, or if they have trouble coming up with anything at all, roll up your sleeves, pick your informal name and tagline, and discuss how you can ensure that the behaviors of every representative of your company speak that theme. Remember, actions speak much louder than words!

Check back next month for the next tip in our "Get Inspired"Visioning series.

In case you've missed previous tips...

We'll have ten tips in all (and, knowing us, we'll throw in a few bonus tips to tap that extra reserve of inspiration). 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

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.