Having an inspired vision of the future, perhaps surprisingly, is not essential, but it really does help. Being a leader, a true leader, is all about helping people to reach towards the future, which is why it helps so much if you can create a vision. If you cannot do that, it’s still okay, provided you can set and guide the team strategically.
Assuming you are here to stretch yourself beyond your current limits, here’s a simple process to use to create your leadership vision.
Problems
Being realistic, most good visions solve problems. There are visions which are highly creative and manage to inspire people to create a brand-new world; but for us mortals, let’s stick with changing things which are not working too well right now, and making things work better for people.
Get your notebook out and start brainstorming all the problems and challenges you and your team are facing right now. Note down as many answers as you can for each of the following questions…
- What are all the things which are not working?
- Why are people dissatisfied or complaining about your product or service?
- Where are the inefficiencies in your processes?
- What should be working better?
- What are people needing which you are not currently supplying?
If these questions don’t quite fit, just innovate around them. The important thing is that you quickly fill a few pages with ideas of what you could be working on. We’ll come back later and refine the thinking.
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Trends
Now you need to reflect on what is going on around your team, organisation and in the world in general. You might want to take a walk with this one and mull over the topics while you get some exercise. Here are the topics of things to mull over…
- What are the key changes taking place in your industry right now?
- How are your customers’ needs evolving?
- How is today different from yesterday regarding the type of service or product you offer?
- Where might it go tomorrow?
- What impact is technology having?
- Are there any current fashions or fads which people are talking about? What’s the “in” thing?
- Is legislation affecting the way you are working? How will that change over the next few years?
- Does the media or public opinion influence your work? Again, how could that change over time?
- How are your top management responding to all of this?
Now you have had some fresh air and got some thinking down, try to distil your thoughts down to a small number of key trends which are affecting (or are likely to affect) the work of your team.
Futurise
Now, imagine that in five years’ time your team is the best that there is at what you do. They have surmounted all of the problems, embraced the trends and are now top of their game. Step into that future as you close your eyes. Try to imagine what you would be seeing or hearing.
- What would your team be saying to each other?
- What actions would they be taking on a day-to-day basis?
- How would you recognise the hallmarks of success?
- How would they be interacting with their customers or suppliers?
- What would your customers be saying? Or the media etc.
- And your CEO, how would they be describing to journalists the fine work of your team?
This is where you may hit the buffers. The job of the visionary is to go into the future and then return and tell others what is coming. You will need lots of creativity for this. You may need to take a few weeks and keep coming back to these questions. The more you reflect on these questions, the clearer things will become. Here are a few tips to make your thoughts flow. Choose the ones you like the best…
- Get out and exercise while you imagine.
- Find someone to be creative with ― a friend whom you have fun with and can get the sparks flowing.
- Seek inspiration at an art gallery. How do the pictures and images speak to your world?
- Imagine how famous figures might answer these questions on your behalf. What would Alan Sugar or Donald Trump say?
- Jump setting. Imagine your function/team sit in a completely different type of industry. Instead of sitting in an insurance company, what if your finance team lived in a TV production business?
- Try to find the most ridiculous answers to all of the questions.
- How would a comedian tell their audience about your success?
Probably the most important advice is to play with it. Make it fun and enjoy yourself going wild with your ideas. Time to get serious in a minute, but in the privacy of your own mind, go on, have some fun!
Conceptualise
Okay, the fun is over for the time being. Assuming you have managed to get through the previous step, now you need to start to crystalise your thinking and find a way to write down your vision of the future. You still don’t need to talk to people about it just yet, but you do need to practise getting the words down on paper.
What you are now aiming to do is find a form of words which…
- Clearly communicates your vision of the future.
- Links where you are now with where you are going.
- Conveys a sense of excitement about this vision.
- Can get people to almost believe it is possible.
It does not have to do the “how” bit. Frankly, if you are really being visionary, you will not know yet. Working out how to get there can be a team activity. Neither should it work to rationalise, explain or convince people that it can happen. Again, that will come later.
What you are aiming for here is creating something which will help people to get a tantalising glimpse of an exciting future that would be worth having.
The Gautrey Influence Blog
Ever felt overlooked, unheard, or stuck in office politics? You’re not alone. The Gautrey Influence Blog breaks down the real-world strategies behind leadership, influence, and power—giving you the tools to be heard, respected, and successful. Join 35,000+ professionals getting ahead the smart way—subscribe now..
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