By 
When I was CEO, I was periodically asked by various leaders how they could develop a vision for their organization. This question always stumped me, in part because, for whatever reason, he usually seemed to have more ideas than he could pursue.
Over time I realized that everyone is connected differently and that some people have the gift of developing new horizons, even crazy schemes, and others do not. People who “aren’t” are, however, gifted in other ways essential to organizational development, including the ability to take visions and make them come true.
So if you happen to be more of a “doer” than a “dreamer,” but you are in a leadership position, how can you develop a vision for your organization?
I have heard seminar facilitators answer this question with what sounded like a recipe for a mystical experience. But I don’t think developing a vision is as ethereal as some think. It can be as practical as you want and you can still identify a solid vision for the future of your organization.
Here are some sources and resources to help you develop a vision for your organization:
Research challenges and opportunities through SWOT. “Know yourself,” the ancient Greeks used to say. Contemplate your belly button. Discover the future of your organization on your own data. Identify the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your organization, and use this knowledge to design a different tomorrow.
Address first things first. Every organization can be better than itself. Build better basics and save the decorations and sizzles for later. Emphasize what is doable, practical. Find ways to articulate an idealized future step by step. Go for Bronze before going for Silver or Gold.
Take advantage of the CEO’s personal passion. Harness the gifts, hearts, and deepest desires of the CEO. I once presented a half million dollar athletic proposal to a gentleman. He caught me off guard when he said, “What is your passion?” I thought for a moment and said “Leadership”. He said, “Then I’ll write that check for a leadership program,” and he did. People inside and outside an organization respond to leaders who believe in something that matters. Information, yes, but emotion is also key to creating a vision.
Take advantage of the talents of staff, board members, customers, or constituents. Who knows your organization and its capabilities better than people who are already engaged? Don’t be the CEO unable to listen to or accept advice. You don’t have to feel alone in leadership. As a leader, your greatest joy and perhaps your greatest impact on the organization will come when you celebrate the ideas of your own people.
Identify what leading organizations are doing and improve them. Not every worthy vision should be “new.” It could just be “improved”. How different, really, is one comprehensive university from another? Not much. If you don’t believe me, check out your ads on New Years Day. In this scenario, your vision is more about Excellence what difference.
Determine what does not exist and invent it. Creativity is always in style. Bold ideas are always fresh, they may not ultimately work; only time will tell, but they are still fresh.
Take a risk. It’s okay to be different, to jump into the unknown, to lead when others aren’t following you yet. Yes, it’s okay to bravely go where no one has gone before. Risk aversion is not a good leadership trait. You don’t want to be reckless or irresponsible, but you don’t want to miss out for fear of failure.
Develop distinctive, possibly unique attributes. This is a bit different from developing what does not exist. It is about polishing the characteristics of your organization to create a niche in the market. At an excellence level, what can your organization do that is different from what all other competitive organizations could do? It’s not as hard as it looks. The difference may be related to the nuances. The distinction may be related to quality, craftsmanship, appearance, and service. The potential is infinite.
Identify customer needs / build. First, stop doing what is no longer feasible, no matter how long your organization has done it. Second, start doing what is in demand. It is the basic economics of free enterprise. Meet the needs of customers / constituents and they will fill your organization’s coffers.
If you lead a nonprofit organization, identify what the top donors want to do with the top dollars. There is nothing wrong, per se, in following the money. One way the market tests the value of an idea is how much support it gets. In the absence of ethical shortcuts, run with what the top available donors want to achieve and build your vision around it.
Rediscover the vision of the Founders. Sometimes a new vision is an old vision dusted off and recycled. The beauty of this approach, when it fits, is that the Founders’ visions can return with immediate public understanding, credibility, and perhaps prestige. The organization has been rocked by storms in the market and is now adjusting its course to ensure it reaches the original destination. Founders’ visions don’t always stand the test of time, but when they do they are a great way to reinvigorate an organization with a “new” vision for a better future.
Reposition the organization. Perhaps your organization has what the old commercial used to call “tired blood.” It has been doing the same for a long time and has lost its dynamism. Perhaps the organization has an image problem, a public perception of the organization that is, at best, complicated or simply incorrect or unhealthy. You need to send a message that a new wind is blowing. Change things up, ditch old practices, and set new goals.
Move. Taking an organization to another location is not always appropriate or practical. But sometimes it is. A well-planned new direction can change the whole image of an organization and open new doors to growth and success.
If you are the CEO, you don’t have to be the omniscient source of all good ideas. You don’t have to design your organization’s vision to be a good leader. To be a good leader, you need to be open to the best ideas, regardless of the source, and create a process where the cream comes to the top. Then you can implement those ideas.
So how do you develop a vision? Look around.