Creating your vision

How do you get started on vision discussions?

When embarking on a process to develop your organisation’s vision, we suggest getting broad input at the start of the process, taking the board and leadership team on the journey together, but being clear as to who will ultimately decide on the vision once a broad consensus has been reached.

Some questions to consider before developing your approach:

• Will the executive alone develop a recommendation to take to the board, or will it be a collaborative process?
• Will the whole leadership team be involved at every step or are we comfortable with ideas being progressed by a working group?
• How broadly should we consult? Should we engage the whole staff cohort, or get staff to opt in at different times?

Leaders need to be cognisant that their perspective of the organisation may be very different to that of other stakeholders. Getting input from staff, customers and others can be very useful in informing the discussion.

Here are five of our techniques to kick start vision discussions and stimulate new ideas.

1. Reflections from our ‘founding fathers’

Conduct interviews or review documents to gain insights and reflections as to why your organisation was started in the first place. How has the organisation changed over the years? What aspects have remained consistent? If possible, video the ‘founding fathers’ to bring to life the passion that surrounded the founding of the organisation.

2. Online surveys

Conduct a survey of the board and executive team, or if you are after a more inclusive process include staff, to understand how your leaders and team members think about your organisation. Performing the survey online allows everybody to share their thoughts independently of the influence of others. Questions could include: What do you think your organisation does well? Why does your organisation exist? What do we really care about?

3. Vox pop videos

Film staff as they arrive in the morning and get off the cuff responses. What gets you out of bed in the morning to come to work? Who is your organisation? What do you think your organisation does well?

4. Case studies of excellence

Develop case studies of similar organisations that are excelling in living their vision and being true to their core purpose. Try to go beyond the corporate statements to interviews with the leaders of these organisations to get to the heart of their success.

5. Customer insights

Interview your customers to identify their purpose – what drives them to do what they do? Ask them what they value about your organisation and why? Talk to front line staff and understand their perspectives on customer motivations.

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In the last few months we have seen a groundswell of organisations coming to us to assist in developing their vision or purpose statements.

Discussions about company statements can go badly awry, but with someone who knows what they’re doing leading the effort, careful preparation, and sufficient time and effort invested in the process, they can be energising for an organisation. Good company statements are not only galvanising, they support alignment, better decision making and more purposeful action.

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Want to know more? 

For more information on how our facilitators can help you with your next Board, Executive Team or staff workshop, meeting or offsite, please contact Lauren Spiteri on lauren.spiteri@strategicfacilitators.com.au or phone our office on 03 9428 8817.