Vision and Mission Become the Criteria of Consistency

     Leaders MUST live the organization's vision and mission daily in order to affect the type of culture the organization is going to have.  The vision and mission need to be exciting; they should be compelling; they should give a team an understanding of the types of behaviors required to live out that mission and achieve the vision. The more meaningful the vision and mission are, the more they can be used to build and strengthen the culture. Vision and mission guide day-to-day behaviors while driving decision making and getting members to do things that are consistent with what the organization aspires to be.

     The creation of a vision at this early phase of the transformation is imperative to provide scope as to what the future of the organization shall look like and the parameters that define this state.  To be effective, the vision must have meaning, be understood, and drive focused actions throughout the entire organization.  Most importantly, the vision becomes the criteria of consistency linking all action items into an integrated and aligned transformation plan.  This very aspect “becomes the basis of decentralized execution and empowerment because it gives people a foundation from which to be self-directing” (Sullivan and Harper, 1996, p.107).  “A vision must fit the organization for which it was created, and it must be empowering, providing both the leader and the led a tool they can translate into strategy and action

Consistency should become a trademark of leaders,

this inspires trust and confidence in others for

their day to day actions

 that result in real growth and change” (Sullivan & Harper, 1996, p. 88).  It describes aspirations for the future, without specifying the means that will be used to achieve those desired ends.  The vision provides focus on the future desired state of the business organization creating the ability of leadership to select only the critical few strategic objectives that truly support the organization's transformation.  Lareau (2000) declares that “visionary leadership is the application of a set of beliefs, expectations, and direction that focuses everyone in an organization on critical objectives in an effective manner” (p.82).

     This aspect is the essence of vision; establishing a base of understanding within leadership and the employees creating the environment that all individuals have the same clear view as to which initiatives, objectives, and goals must be the focus so that all actions are integrated to achieve consistency.  As mention earlier in the book, in traditional organizations, “each and every employee and department may be working towards conflicting objectives.  “That’s how sub-optimization flourishes; all sorts of enthusiastic people working very hard at different personal visions” (Lareau, 2000, p.166).  The vision must effectively describe the future in a way that people can grasp in simple operational terms and be applicable to each individual’s role in the organization.  At a minimum the vision must:

•           provide the background for the change

•           provide a sense of purpose

•           provide a view of success

•           rise above the day to day issues

Effective visions are inspiring.  

They are clear and challenge the organization