Product Showcases

Clear Vision

"Capital isn't scarce; vision is."
  --- Sam Walton

Speaking with a sign shop owner recently about the lack of commitment of his employees, I asked him if the employees understood where the business is going. In other words, what direction is the business headed? Do his team members know of that direction? If so, do they understand how what they are doing contributes to getting the business moving in the right direction?

These are all valid questions all business leaders should be asking themselves, their managers, and their employees. Though simplistic, it only makes sense that in order to get to a specific destination everyone should be heading at least in that general direction.

"We lift ourselves by our thought. We climb upon our vision of ourselves. If you want to enlarge your life, you must first enlarge your thought of it and of yourself. Hold the ideal of yourself as you long to be, always everywhere."
  --- Orison Swett Marden

If there is no vision at this time for your business, then that is a different story. You should take the time today to begin drafting a vision statement for your company. There are templates, ideas, and suggestions you can use online, but the best vision statement is created by the company's founders beginning with why they started the business in the first place. Then, continue with what direction you would like to see the company heading to reach a three-year, then five-year, then ten-year goal. Keep the draft simple. Sleep on it for a day or two and then revisit it. After a couple of weeks, nail it to the wall.

"It is always wise to look ahead, but difficult to look farther than you can see."
  --- Winston Churchill

The vision statement can be amended, but try to get as close as possible to what you want. This vision statement is not for your customers to read and say nice things about, though that is okay. The statement is for you to use as a tool to communicate to your team members where the company is heading so that everyone involved has no doubt of what is needed to get the company there.

"You must first clearly see a thing in your mind before you can do it."
  --- Alex Morrison

Something as serious as this document requires some thought so don't try to spit it out too quickly and then make drastic changes to it down the line. That only causes confusion and more work for you to have to re-communicate the vision all over again. Once you have the vision statement completed, be sure to talk it up at every meeting, company picnic, holiday functions, inter-office emails, etc. It takes constant reminding to get everyone on board.

"Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps, down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision."
  --- Ayn Rand

Boldly create your vision statement for your business. Boldly express your vision to your team members. And, boldly follow the vision using daily reminders for yourself and others.