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Have you ever gotten in your car to go to a place and you had a general idea about where you were going? More often than not, you generally got lost didn’t you? The same principle applies when you are running your business. Trust me, you don’t want to generally get lost. Resources are too costly. This is one of the reasons you need a clear mission and strategy. This is critical to business success and it will help you capture and hold on to the original excitement you felt in the beginning of your idea for this business. When we begin a new business, we are so excited about the possibilities. We see success and prosperity all around us and we are sure everything is going to work out fine.
For a while, things are ok, but the hard work and firefighting makes us lose some of the excitement and we wonder what to do next. How about slowing down a minute and asking ourselves, what is steering our business? What is pushing it toward success? Is it sheer willpower or specific values and goals? Having a specific steering plan relieves a fair amount of stress. Plus, direction removes a lot of uncertainty. It allows you to think strategically and put the resources and energy of your business in the right places.
“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and
energy to get it done.”
– Ralph Lauren
A Vision clarifies the reason the business was created.
What does a well thought out Vision do for your venture?
*Creating a Vision is the initial action you take when you are designing your strategy.
*The Vision will be the basis for all affiliates to use as they set goals that they are responsible for.
*The Vision, supported by the Values, motivate and empower affiliates and helps them understand why certain actions and operations are necessary.
*A Vision anchors your strategies to common objectives and keeps everyone on point.
*A Vision creates a desire in affiliates to do their best, because everyone is focused toward the same, clear objectives.
A good Vision is thoroughly considered and describes the dreams that you have for the enterprise that you are creating. A well thought out Vision has the following characteristics:
1. It exhibits the purpose and direction of the business.
2. It is supported by the established Values.
3. It helps to set operational standards of excellence.
4. It is believable and motivating.
5. It is ambitious and challenging.
6. It identifies the uniqueness of the business.
“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” Tony Robbins
