Two workers were hammering on a piece of granite with a sledgehammer. When asked what he was doing, the first worker said, “I’m trying to crack this granite.” When asked the same question, the second worker said, "I’m part of a team building a cathedral.”
What a difference a vision can make! Excellent visions serve to inspire and guide. To be effective, a team must have a meaningful reason for being together. It is this element that provides the “fuel” for the team and moves it forward. It also provides the passion that is necessary to keep the team inspired and energized. It is the role of the team leader to work with the group to create a vision for the team.
Creating your vision
You can work with your team to create your vision. Your vision statement should be brief. You may choose to define your team’s purpose in one or two sentences. Perhaps you will only need a few key words for your vision. In the book, Breakthrough Teams for Breakneck Times, by Lisa Gundry & Laurie LaMantia, the authors state the importance of creating a shared vision and purpose that incorporates each member’s unique perspectives and abilities. The vision for the team should be a synthesis of the member’s collective visions and expertise. Creating this vision is a process of merging and combining, then deciding and eliminating.
A team should begin by considering all the possibilities and individual visions. Next, each individual vison is given careful thought. The team may choose to combine visions, merging various perspectives. It's important to give all perspectives consideration before making any eliminations. Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating a team's vision:
An ideal vision statement is:
Clear
Involving
Memorable
Aligned with organizational values
Linked to the needs of those served by the organization
Challenging, but not impossible
The vision statement should do two major things:
It should serve as a source of inspiration for your team.
It should guide your team’s efforts and decision-making
Questions for the team to explore should include the following:
What kind of team do we want to be?
What do we want others to say about our team and the work we do?
What values are important to us?
Where is the team headed?
How will the team get there?
How will our vision represent the interest of those we serve?
The process of co-creating a shared vision is a great first step to establishing respect among team members.
Once you’ve got it…flaunt it!
Once you develop your team’s vision statement, make it visible and use it as a guiding tool. Include the vision on meeting agendas, in newsletters, on team apparel, in your office, etc. Your team needs to see this vision statement again and again and again. It should serve as a source of inspiration to the team. Beyond visibility, consider your vision statement throughout all organizational endeavors. Continually ask the question, "Are the decisions of the team and the efforts the team is making in line with the organization's vision?"
Steve Jobs once said, "If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you." Ready to fuel the efforts of your team? It's time to create a vision to inspire and guide.
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