THE POWER OF VISION

1. THE POWER OF VISION Presenters: Rose Mwaniki Isabella Bosire 21st September, 2009 RM & IS

2. TOPIC AREAS The importance of powerful vision The Leader as visionary and motivator of people The concept of visioning Requirements for an Effective Vision. RM & IS

3. THE IMPORTANCE OF POWERFUL VISION Peter Drucker“the best way to predict the future is to create it.”Most leaders agree with this statement completely, the leader wants to make a difference and strives to create a thing that never was before. This thing, this difference, constitutes a vision. RM & IS

4. THE IMPORTANCE OF VISION • The most important function of a leader is to develop a clear and compelling picture of the future, and to secure commitment for that ideal. • Success begins with a vision – then a strategy is added – intensity and stamina. • CEO at Johnson & Johnson James Burke spent 40% of his time communicating and reinforcing the company’s vision. RM & IS

5. SAMPLE POWERFUL VISIONS • Johnson & Johnson “We believe that our first obligation is to the customers: the doctors, nurses, patients; to mothers and all others who use our products and services” Microsoft – Old vision – for the last 3 decades “ A computer on every desk” “Create experiences that combine the magic of software with the power of Internet services across a world of devices." RM & IS

6. Collis Huntington founder of Newport New Ship building and Dry Dock Company in 1886 “We shall build ships here. At a profit- if we can; At a loss- if we must; But always good ships.” RM & IS

7. ORGANIZATIONAL SUCCESS • What is the role of vision in helping organizations success? • Success begins with a clear, compelling vision, a picture in the minds of the members of an organization on how things should and could be. • Without a vision there is confusion • Other success factors include: skills, incentives, resources and an action plan RM & IS

8. Organizational Success Vision Vision Vision Vision Vision Skills Skills Skills Skills Skills Incentives Incentives Incentives Incentives Incentives Resources Resources Resources Resources Resources Action Plan Action Plan Action Plan Action Plan Action Plan Confusion Anxiety Gradual Change Frustration False Starts Organizational Success chart RM & IS

9. STRATEGY TO SUCCEED VISION+SKILLS+INCENTIVES+RESOURCES+ACTION PLAN=Organizational success • Delete 1= Confusion • Delete 2=Anxiety • Delete3=Gradual change • Delete4= Frustration • Delete5= False starts RM & IS

10. VISION AS AN IDEAL Elements that give life and strength to vision • It evokes pictures in the mind • Suggests a future orientation • Implies a standard of excellence or virtuous condition • Quality of uniqueness RM & IS

11. VISION AS AN IDEAL • To test his or her vision the leader must ask three questions: • Is this the right decision? • Are these the right goals? • Is this the right time? • Then the leader must share this vision and have it supported! When leaders have passion and authority, others are inspired to follow. RM & IS

12. BEST EXAMPLE Martin Luther King.jr, I have a dream… leaves on to be remembered by many and was fully fulfilled with the election of the first black president in the USA history Barack Obama. Also earlier by end of racial segregation RM & IS

13. LEADER AS VISIONARY AND MOTIVATOR OF PEOPLE Research carried out shows that leaders must be clearly focused on a positive and future-focused goal or vision. Clarity of purpose provides guidance for making decisions about time and resources. Passion and authority come to leaders who clearly know where they are going and have dedication to succeed. RM & IS

14. Noel Tichy and M.A.DeVanna study Research findings - the 3 act process to help organizations meet the challenge of change: • Recognize the need to change and take personal responsibility to initiate this change • Create a clear and positive vision for the future. • Institute empowering structures and processes to achieve the vision. RM & IS

15. Study on leadership effectiveness by the forum of corporation Study identified 3 leadership qualities of successful leaders at middle and senior levels of responsibility. • Taking personal responsibility for initiating change – a leader must be personally involved and committed to make a difference. • Creating a vision and strategy for the organization – one that uplifts and inspires others • Trusting and supporting others – treat the team members with respect and dignity – empower them. RM & IS

16. Key findings of the forum study • Leadership is important from the boardroom to the floor shop – Every level of responsibility – otherwise the customer is bound to suffer. • Positions and titles have little or no relationship to leadership performance – any worker with leadership skills can inspire their peers as well as the CEO could. • Without leadership, organizations falter in times of change – imagine a car without an engine or a ship without a rudder! RM & IS

17. Key findings of the forum study • Organization leadership involves interdependence more than individualism – a leader must demonstrate concern for members of the workgroup, recognize other people’s contributions, encourage others, etc. • Leaders inspire others to take on tasks of leadership – give others power and encouragement to make decisions. • Leadership is contextual – leader must understand the organization and its environment - RM & IS

18. THE CONCEPT OF VISIONING Credited to Ronald Lippit who By 1949 began referring to “images of potential” rather to “problems” as starting point to change. Stephen Covey – management author - identifies certain process, content and application principles that have been found to be effective in creating a vision. RM & IS

19. Why create a vision? Peter Drucker explains – why have a vision? Because the modern organization is composed of specialists, each with his or her own narrow are of expertise, its purpose must be crystal clear. The organization must be single minded, or its members will become confused. They will follow their own specialty rather than apply it to the common task. They will define “results” in terms of own specialty and impose its values on the organization. Only focused and share vision will hold an organization together and enable it to produce. (James & Jay, 1999) RM & IS

20. VISIONING PROCESS PRINCIPLES • Leaders must initiate the process, discuss and articulate the basis for developing a vision. • Leader must be challenging , yet realistic – set the mark high, but stay in touch with reality. • Seek significant early involvement by other members of the organization – “we have begun, but we need your input” • Encourage wide spread review and comment – include as many people as possible to get more ideas on what you have developed. RM & IS

21. VISIONING PROCESS PRINCIPLES • Allow time for the process to work – people need time to think about and adjust to change, even positive change. • Demonstrate commitment, follow-through, and concurrent action by leaders – walk the talk or put your words into action. • Maintain harmony of subunits – vision statements for departments/division/business units must be in harmony with the overall vision of the organization. RM & IS

22. VISIONING CONTENT PRINCIPLES The following are the key elements of an overall vision or strategic plan: • Central purpose or mission (reason for existence) – the organization must answer the question, why do we exist? • Broad goals to achieve the mission –process or functional accomplishments that must be met to achieve the mission. • Core values to measure the rightness or wrongness of behavior (e.g. truth, trust and moral in other words - hills worth dying on) RM & IS

23. VISIONING CONTENT PRINCIPLES • Stakeholders and what attainment of the vision will mean to them (the human element): the people affected by what an organization does or does not do. • Analysis of the organization and its environment, including internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats (SWOT). • Strategic initiatives (sometimes called critical success factors - CSF) – objectives to achieve the goals and mission. They must be SMART RM & IS

24. VISIONING CONTENT PRINCIPLES • Tactical plans and specific assignment (projects and activities) to support strategic initiatives, broad goals and the attainment of the mission. These constitutes the plan of work – for a given unit or member of the organization. RM & IS

25. VISIONING APPLICATION PRINCIPLES • Honor and live the vision as the organization’s constitution – an organizational culture and behavior should be governed by the values and principles of the vision not the personal style of the individual. • Encourage new-member understanding and commitment through early introduction – the vision should be the center piece of the orientation program for all new members. • Make it constantly visible – vision should be publicized to customers, employees, suppliers, owners, everyone! RM & IS

26. VISIONING APPLICATION PRINCIPLES • Create integrity through alignment and congruency – use the vision as a leadership tool and decision-making guide – a means to track progress. • Review the vision periodically , revising as appropriate to reflect changing conditions – view the vision as a program with people as the programmers. RM & IS

27. REQUIREMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE VISION • A vision must be developed by the leaders, those individuals with strength and influence to establish direction and mobilize the organization – leadership is dreaming a dream and then making it come true. Motivate the followers to turn the vision the dream into deeds. • A vision must be communicated to followers and must be supported by them – leaders have to let others see, hear, taste, touch, and feel their vision – move the picture from the mind of the leader to the heart of the followers! Only then will the vision be turned into action. RM & IS

28. REQUIREMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE VISION • A vision must be comprehensive and detailed, so that every member of the organization can understand his or her part in the whole – every person must know what is expected and the rewards that will accrue when the vision is achieved. • A vision must be uplifting and inspiring – it must be worth the effort; it must be big enough. It must be meaningful and important for the members to do. RM & IS

29. IN CONCLUSION • The vision of an organization provides the leader, staff and management plus all the other stakeholders with a clear and compelling picture of the future. This way the leaders secure commitment from that ideal. • More important however, the vision should aligned to the execution – for example Ray Kroc aligned every process at McDonald’s to deliver service, quality, value and cleanliness. • Fred Smith aligned every structure and system of FedEx to deliver the package on time. • Thus, the attainment of these two companies vision require integrity through alignment and congruency. RM & IS

30. End of session Thank You Open Discussion RM & IS