Strategic Planning season is coming to a close. You’ve talked about your organization’s purpose–it’s reason for being. You’ve kicked around your mission statement, or how you will get from point A to point B. Most importantly, you have dreamed, and continue to dream, about your organizational vision–what you hope to be in the future. You’ve set the course, and are ready to navigate toward it. But will your organization stay the course? Will your vision stick?
There is an important “something” that must be present in your vision or your organization will sail rudderless. That “something” is so simple it’s complex. It’s clarity.
Want people to follow you? Be clear.
Andy Stanley provided the answer to a creating a memorable vision at the opening session of Leadercast 2016. His solution was simple: Your vision must be clear. Clarity is the most critical component of a memorable vision.
“Clarity is magnetic,” says Stanley. People naturally follow the person with the clearest message. Amazingly, studies have shown that clarity is even more important than integrity when it comes to leadership. We all crave a strong leader with clear direction. Someone who can succinctly tell us where we’re going and how we’re getting there.
Stanley states, “Clarity always results in influence.” The one with the clearest message rises to the top.
You don’t want your vision to leak
A clear vision must be simple. Memorable. Portable. Concise. “Wordiness” can make it worthless. The more there is to the remember, the more the vision leaks. Leaks sink ships.
4 tips to achieve clarity
Remember how I said clarity is so simple it’s complex? It’s not surprising that Stanley breaks it down, showing us the path to leadership clarity:
- State the problem – what problem does your organization solve?
- State the solution – how does your organization solve the problem?
- State your inspiration – where does your inspiration comes from?
- Celebrate victories in achieving this vision – what is rewarded is repeated.
Doing these four things will give your organization a vision worth shooting for…and make you a leader worth following.
Stanley says that integrity is second to clarity for successful leadership. Do you agree? Why or why not?