On this episode of The Chris LoCurto Show, we dive into high-level vision-casting, leadership strategy, and walk through what purpose is in life and work.
Steve calls in and asks about how to discover your purpose in a new role and job situation, leadership strategies, and working with leaders and entrepreneurs.
A lack of vision leads to so many problems on teams. It contributes to a lack of team member buy-in, low morale and motivation, and leaves team members feeling like they’re spinning their wheels.
Here’s an issue I ran into recently:
Team vision – A lot of the business owners I have talked with lately are struggling with motivating their team. They don’t understand why they won’t work like crazy, have the same passion as them, and care about the customer more. Every time this has come up I explained how they have to spend time showing their team that what they are doing is bigger than them. One was trying to motivate a team of mechanics.
I discussed how the owner has to continuously show the team how they aren’t just turning a wrench. How each time a single mom comes in she’s bummed about having to fix the car, stressed because she probably can’t afford it, and scared that she is going to be taken advantage of. So he needs to show those guys how to take care of her like she was their own mother.
Understand that she is coming in with her guard up and talk nicely to her and treat her with dignity. Most mechanic shops always tell women that they need to replace their serpentine belt right away because it’s about to break. And most of the time, that’s not true. So go through all of the stuff that other shops try to make undue money on and reassure her that those parts on her car are looking good and probably won’t need to be replaced for ____ amount of time.
Let her know all of her options with her current issue, how much each one would cost. Then ask her if there is anything with the repair estimate that she doesn’t understand. Or does she have any questions. While she waits for the car to be fixed, offer her coffee, magazines, toys and coloring books for the kiddos. Then super serve her by doing the best repair job possible.
When you give her the keys and the bill, don’t just rattle off what she owes like you’re ready for the next customer, treat her with respect. Ask if there’s anything else you can help her with. As you cast this kind of vision for your team members, they stop being employees who turn a wrench, and become team members who are changing lives. They begin to realize that fixing that single mom’s car is work that matters. Team members become passionate when they see that the work they are doing is bigger than themselves.
Example Vision Statements:
Apple
We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products and that’s not changing. We are constantly focusing on innovating. We believe in the simple not the complex. We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make, and participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution.
We believe in saying no to thousands of projects, so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us. We believe in deep collaboration and cross-pollination of our groups, which allow us to innovate in a way that others cannot. Frankly, we don’t settle for anything less than excellence in every group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we’re wrong and the courage to change. I think, regardless of who is in what job, those values are so embedded in this company that Apple will do extremely well. ~ Tim Cook, CEO
Southwest Airlines
Our vision is to expand our locations both domestic and overseas by being the largest and most profitable airline company to achieve both short and long-haul carriers efficiently and with low cost. Also to be an airline carrier that has the most productive workforce to guarantee the best flight possible for each and every passenger.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo’s responsibility is to continually improve all aspects of the world in which we operate – environment, social, economic – creating a better tomorrow than today. Our vision is put into action through programs and a focus on environmental stewardship, activities to benefit society, and a commitment to build shareholder value by making PepsiCo a truly sustainable company.
Microsoft
A personal computer in every home running Microsoft software.
Our vision is to provide service and product offerings that will powerfully impact our client’s lives and businesses in ways that allow our clients to accomplish their respective missions. We will accomplish this with excellence through live events, coaching & mentoring, and digital product offerings.
A clear and compelling vision is crucial to the success of any organization. Without a sense of purpose and direction, teams can become disengaged, unmotivated, and ultimately, unproductive. That’s why vision casting is such an important leadership skill. By effectively communicating a vision for the future, leaders can inspire and align their teams towards a common goal, driving progress and growth.
What is Vision Casting?
Vision casting is the process of communicating a clear and compelling vision for the future to inspire and motivate a group or organization. It involves articulating a clear purpose, outlining specific goals, and creating a roadmap for achieving them. The goal of vision casting is to create a sense of shared purpose and direction that aligns the efforts of the entire team towards a common goal.
Why is Vision Casting Important?
A compelling vision can drive progress and growth in any organization. Here are some of the key benefits of effective vision casting:
Aligns Efforts: A clear vision helps everyone in the organization to understand what they’re working towards and why. This alignment of efforts helps to avoid miscommunication, duplication of effort, and conflicts.
Inspires Creativity: A compelling vision inspires people to think outside the box and come up with new and innovative ideas.
Fosters Commitment: When people understand the vision and feel a sense of ownership in it, they are more committed to achieving it.
Provides Focus: A well-defined vision helps leaders to focus their resources on the most important areas that will contribute to achieving the desired outcome.
How to Cast a Vision
Effective vision casting requires a combination of skills, including communication, strategic thinking, and leadership. Here are some key steps to follow:
Define Your Purpose: Start by defining the overarching purpose of your organization. What is your ultimate goal?
Identify Your Values: What are the core values that guide your organization? These values should be reflected in everything you do.
Set Specific Goals: Once you have a clear purpose and values, set specific goals that will help you achieve that purpose.
Create a Roadmap: Develop a roadmap for achieving your goals. This should include specific milestones, timelines, and metrics to measure progress.
Communicate the Vision: Communicate your vision to your team in a way that is clear, concise, and compelling. Use stories and examples to bring the vision to life and make it tangible.
Involve Your Team: Involve your team in the vision casting process. Encourage them to share their ideas and provide feedback. This will help to create a sense of ownership and commitment to the vision.
Evaluate Progress: Regularly evaluate progress towards achieving your vision. Use this information to make adjustments to your goals, roadmap, and communication strategy as needed.
Let’s explore each of these steps in more detail.
Define Your Purpose
The first step in vision casting is to define the overarching purpose of your organization. This purpose should be something that inspires and motivates your team. It should be bigger than any individual person or project, and it should be the reason why your organization exists.
To define your purpose, ask yourself some key questions:
Why does our organization exist?
What do we hope to achieve?
What impact do we want to have on the world?
Your purpose statement should be clear, concise, and memorable. It should be something that your team can rally around and be proud of.
Identify Your Values
Once you have defined your purpose, the next step is to identify the core values that guide your organization. Your values should be the guiding principles that drive everything you do.
To identify your values, ask yourself:
What are the principles that guide our decision making?
What are the behaviors that we expect from ourselves and others in our organization?
Your values should reflect the culture and identity of your organization. They should be something that your team can embody and demonstrate in their work.
Set Specific Goals
Once you have a clear purpose and values, the next step is to set specific goals that will help you achieve that purpose. Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).
To set your goals, ask yourself:
What specific outcomes do we want to achieve?
How will we measure our progress towards those outcomes?
What actions do we need to take to achieve those outcomes?
Your goals should be challenging but achievable. They should stretch your team to grow and innovate while still being realistic.
Create a Roadmap
Once you have set your goals, the next step is to develop a roadmap for achieving them. Your roadmap should outline the specific milestones, timelines, and metrics that will guide your progress towards your goals.
To create your roadmap, ask yourself:
What are the key milestones that we need to achieve to reach our goals?
What are the timelines for achieving those milestones?
What metrics will we use to measure progress towards our goals?
Your roadmap should be flexible enough to adapt to changes in your environment or circumstances but also provide a clear direction for your team.
Communicate the Vision
Once you have developed your vision, purpose, values, goals, and roadmap, the next step is to communicate them to your team. This communication should be clear, concise, and compelling.
To communicate your vision effectively, consider:
Using stories and examples to make the vision tangible and relatable
Tailoring your communication to the needs and interests of your team
Addressing any concerns or questions that your team may have about the vision
Your communication should inspire and motivate your team towards action. It should make them feel excited and empowered to contribute towards achieving the vision.
Involve Your Team
To create a sense of ownership and commitment to the vision, involve your team in the vision casting process. Encourage them to share their ideas and provide feedback on the vision, purpose, values, goals, and roadmap.
To involve your team, consider:
Holding brainstorming sessions or workshops to generate ideas
Assigning tasks or responsibilities that align with the vision and goals
Celebrating milestones and progress towards achieving the vision
Involving your team in the vision casting process will help to create a shared sense of purpose and direction.
Evaluate Progress
Finally, regularly evaluate progress towards achieving your vision. Use this information to make adjustments to your goals, roadmap, and communication strategy as needed.
To evaluate progress, consider:
Reviewing metrics and data to track progress towards your goals
Soliciting feedback from your team on what’s working and what’s not
Revisiting your purpose, values, and goals to ensure they are still relevant and aligned with your organization’s mission and vision.
Regular evaluation and adjustment will help to ensure that your vision remains relevant and achievable.
Conclusion
Vision casting is a critical leadership skill that can inspire and align your team towards success. By defining a clear purpose, identifying core values, setting specific goals, creating a roadmap, communicating the vision, involving your team, and evaluating progress, you can create a shared sense of purpose and direction that will drive growth and progress in your organization. With effective vision casting, you can inspire your team to achieve great things and create a lasting impact on the world.
Chris has a heart for changing lives by helping people discover the life and business they really want.
Decades of personal and leadership development experience, as well as running multi-million dollar businesses, has made him an expert in life and business coaching. personality types, and communication styles.
Growing up in a small logging town near Lake Tahoe, California, Chris learned a strong work ethic at home from his full-time working mom. He began his leadership and training career in the corporate world, starting but at E'TRADE.
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