Company vision: does it exist outside your office?

Nation's Restaurant News, Jan 11, 1993 by Frank Polkowski

Many companies take time to develop a company vision. Unfortunately, the "vision" is only seen and used as it is being developed and later when it is hung on the wall for everyone to view. What has hapened to your company's vision?

A formal, defined company vision can be one of the most important decision-making tools you can possess. Like a tool, it's only effective when used. Also like a tool, it's an insurance policy that is there when you have to fall back on it for support. Unlike many tools, however, this one can be used for most all of the tough decisions your company faces. What brought you to develop a vision in the first place? Hopefully, it was to position your goals and mission into the driving force that inspires your people, your customers and yourself. Once you develop your company vision, it needs to be enshrined and obeyed. If it isn't, why did you develop a vision in the first place?

Enshrined, you say? That's right, enshrined. If you are going to set company and management goals based on vision, they have to be belived, respected and become a part of everyone's business life.

What is a vision? I can tell you what it isn't. It isn't a goal or an objective. It's a picture of what the company should be like. The purpose of that picture is to specify and launch staff commitment to change in the direction of reaching that picture. The picture has to inspire, give meaning to everyday things your people do, be in understandable terms and include a driving value (on time/-complete shipments, customer satisfaction, etc.).

You don't have a vision? Well, set the time aside for you and your people to develop one right now. You can't afford the time? Have you ever heard of the lumberjack who held the record for the highest number of felled trees per hour? He began slowing down dramatically and when asked why he didn't stop to sharpen his saw, said, "I can't spare the time right now!" What are you doing about your saw? Take the time; get your people involved. There is an amazing transformation that occurs when people become a part of your vision. They begin believing in the business. Just think of what kind of empowerment that creates -- inner motivation! Employee loyalty won't be just another word.

You say you had a vision and it failed? Did it ever get past the development stage and into the hearts and minds of your people? A vision needs apostles. It has to start at the top and must be reinforced by the top -- not developed and passed down for everyone to follow. Do as I say not, as I do, has never worked -- it shows management transparency and a lack of commitment. If the corner office doesn't live it, no one else will. One of the best recent examples of top-down conviction was from a local company that wanted to stress "Safety-First" as a way of life. Their safety record was poor, at best. They began having safety tips and articles at the beginning of all their publications. Safety was always the first item at all business meetings. Safety signs were the first thing people saw when entering their properties. Safety really was first. They made their point. Here is mine: if you don't have a vision that you walk and talk, then you don't have a vision.

Walk out to the plant or office floor and ask several people what the company vision statement is. Not necessarily word for word, but intent. Remember, the vision is a picture of where you want the company to be. If they can't answer you, there is no vision statement. Ask your managers. If they don't start shaking in their shoes because they can't enthusiastically tell you, you really don't have a vision statement. Your management team above all, must be vision apostles.

Barometers: How do you know that your vision statement is working? Is everything you do in sales, marketing, production, administration or customer service in alignment with your vision? What tangible measurements tell you that things are different or better? Nothing you do should be implemented if it doesn't fit your vision statement. Ask some of your people to do the measuring. Not just your key managers or employees -- what about the average Janes and Joes who are the backbone of your company? You know, the ones that are always there and not prone to "Monday/Friday" illnesses. What a motivator, and it doesn't cost you anything! Talk about peer recognition.

Fine-Tuning: Now that you have looked at your track record (now that you are paying attention to your vision), is the vision on target? Has the business gotten better because of it? If not, why not? Is it the vision, is it attitude or what? Take the time to check it out and fine-tune the vision if necessary, but don't write another one. You'll send a mixed message to everyone involved. You say you don't have the time or finances? It's better than Chapter 11 and much more interesting!

Report Card: Finally, let your people know how the company is doing. Let your customers know too. In fact, why not invite some of your customers to help you with the vision statement or maybe some of your problem solving sessions. It's healthy. They know what they want from your company better than you. You can build quite a bond. Remember, success comes not from sleepless nights, but rather from wide-awake days.