Vision Statement

Vision statements can be a few words or a paragraph.  It is advisable to keep the statement as short as possible so everyone in the organization can internalize it. This is perhaps the most significant statement a management team can make to inspire everyone to stay true to the company's identity.  This can also apply to a division, a team, a department, etc. Vision statements apply equally to companies, government entities and non-profits, as well as, individuals.

"Blue skying it" is important.  Your vision is an idealized state for your company.  It is the view of what you want for the future and encompasses your mission, values, goals, and objectives.  It is what the organization wants to become.  If possible, try to summarize your vision using a powerful phrase in the first paragraph of your vision statement.  This will enhance the effectiveness of your vision statement.  Vision statements also define the organizations purpose in terms of the organization's values rather than bottom line measures.  The vision statement communicates both the purpose and values of the organization.  A vision statement describes how the future will look if the organization achieves it's mission. (See Mission )

A couple examples:

• Microsoft's vision:  "A personal computer in every home running Microsoft software."
• Centers for Disease Control vision: "Healthy People in a Healthy World."

Or this one:

• Renssalaer Research Libraries:  "As Rensselaer moves towards its goal of achieving prominence as a top-tier world class technological research university, the Libraries' vision is to support the Rensselaer Plan by providing seamless access to the widest possible spectrum of information resources relevant to Rensselaer's research and learning communities and to be a distinctive campus facility serving a variety of community needs."

I find this one wordy... to me it is way to hard to remember and too convoluted to be internalized easily.  In my opinion a potentially better vision statement is actually buried in the preceding paragraph.  The other 'stuff' can be in the mission and goal statements. A statement such as the following would seem to convey the same meaning and impact and be more memorable...

• Renssalaer Research Libraies' vision: "Seamless access to the widest possible spectrum of relevant information resources."

The key to a successful and relevant Vision Statement is brainstorming what you want to be when you grow up!  What is possible and what is in line with your products and capabilities.

The differences:

1. Vision: Defines where the organization wants to be in the future. It reflects the optimistic view of the organization's future.
2. Mission: Defines where the organization is going now, basically describing the purpose, why this organization exits.
3. Values: Main values protected by the organization during the progression, reflecting the organization's culture and priorities.
4. Strategic Planning: Saves wasted time, every minute spent in planning saves ten minutes in execution.

Translation of a Vision into Results

The translation of your Vision Statement into actual business results requires diligence, focus, project management, and desire.  If you just have a fancy vision statement without a strong commitment to support it then you have the wrong vision statement for your company (department, etc.) or you are not serious about what your vision is. Your employees and customers will quickly become disalusioned.  You and everyone around you must have a passion to succeed.



Lean Leadership Translation of a Vision into Results...

See other posts for additional information:
- Focus for Success
- Vision Statement
- Mission Statements
- Objective - objectives
- Meaningful Success Factors
- Competitive Advantage
- Strategic Actions
- Key Performance Indicators

Focus on Success

In order to achieve Business Success you must follow new roads.  You must aggressively focus on four areas ALL the time.  New ideas - new roads - must always be followed.  You must be organized with an eye to the future while managing your processes.

FOCUS on:

• Customers and Markets
• Internal Processes
• Innovation
• Employees

To ACHIEVE:

• Volume Growth
• Margin Growth
• Optimization of Invested Capital

By UTILIZATION of:

• Lean Leadership
• Lean Manufacturing
• Six Sigma
• TQM
• Project Management

Path to Lean Leadership

Lean Leadership has its foundation in programs that have been developing since the 1960's.   During the late seventies and eighties quality became a corporate priority.  Then during the nineties six sigma methodologies started to be introduced around the world.  The six sigma methodologies were comprised of many other tools from TQM and process management, along with the concept of controlling defects to 6-sigma standards.  Today Lean Leadership is a management process focusing on people utilizing old and new process tools.

Leadership Process

The successful operation of a company in the world of today requires an awareness of, an understanding of, and a way of implementing an ever changing range of ideas and tools to maintain a competitive edge.  Lean leadership is a commitment to the process (people, system, and changes) necessary to achieve the results.

                                                                                                                                                                      Hibbard

Consider the process to be like a blueprint to show you how to create the desired results.  Everything changes all the time.  You must be prepared to stay ahead of your competitors.  People must be trained, the systems must be understood, and changes must be implemented.

Lean Leader Functions

Lean Leaders perform three functions: They Lead, They Coach, They Praise

LEAN LEADER FUNCTIONS

We will look at each of these areas in more detail in other posts.  This is a nice graphic to use as a reminder of how to be a good leader. Of course there are many characteristics that make up leadership. Some of these are shown on the post entitled: Leading vs. Managing.  Leaders also use a host of process management tools to achive their performance results. See future posts for outline of these tools and how to approach their use.  Many of these tools have been around since the 1960's.

21st Century Organizations

“On the road to exceeding customer expectations in the 21st Century organizations must be  flexible, fast learners, adaptable,  know where they are headed, and how to get there. Yet, everyone from the CEO to the hourly employees must be aware that everything could change in the blink of an eye and are prepared to meet any new challenge faster than the competition.”                                                    

Richard R. Hibbard

How can I implement Lean Leadership principals and programs with limited consulting services?