Is your vision aligned?

I was in a meeting a while back when a business leader suggested the need to spend some time ensuring "our visions are aligned" - There was great leadership in this. 

With this, he would ensure the parties around the table truly had a vision and in turn understood their goals - It would also ensure that there was a common ground that everyone could work towards. 

One obvious reason for having a vision is that it ensures "everything you do" is actually aligned with your "vision for the future"; increasing the likelihood you will achieve whatever you have in mind for yourself. As the conversation between Alice and the Cheshire Cat tells us , "if you don't know where you are going, it doesn't matter what road you take" (What they didn't mention is that some roads are easier to travel than others).

Another reason for an articulated vision (and I will suggest even more important than above), is that very few things are ever built alone... success comes when you work with others. Having a vision that is very easy to articulate makes it simple for people to understand, engage in, and align with - People rallying around a common vision is how momentum to do incredible things gets started, and more importantly, sustained. This is the heart of many a motivational saying I have noticed. 

But what happens when you find yourself in a situation where your vision does not align with what is being done?

• Differing agendas and personal conflict.
• Poor and ineffective execution.
• Frustration.
• Lost opportunity and wasted effort.
• Mediocrity. 

This is the result of not being able to clearly articulate visions and determine if there is commonality, synergy and alignment to make things happen. Understanding this, is where leadership is born. 

Having different visions is just fine but trying to build something with misaligned visions is precarious to say the least. It is important that all of us bring a clear vision to "the table" so we all know what we will rally behind, or not for that matter.

iamgpe 

www.gpestratagem.com