How can executives develop a clear vision for change?

When defining our current reality in preparation for change, it is often worth taking a moment to explore the difference between changes that require transformation and ones which do not. From a neuroscience perspective, if change requires transformation, it typically means letting go of previous thinking and emotional response patterns (which is in itself a process that needs to be facilitated or managed). In those cases it is equally important to identify current thinking and emotional response patterns that may get in the way of change (and hence will need to be unlearned). Good examples for such patterns are becoming defensive and becoming territorial, or more basic patterns like only seeing things from one's own perspective.

Don't act like a goal is a vision. A vision is aspirational - you are reaching towards it and it ignites the leaders and those that have to work hard to move in that direction. Goals are points you can measure to know if you are going in the right direction of the vision.

Analisar cenários e antecipar possíveis obstáculos permite aos líderes desenvolver uma visão estratégica sólida. Para isso, é fundamental entender profundamente o ambiente empresarial, incluindo tendências do mercado, tecnologias emergentes e as necessidades dos clientes. Um ponto muito importante é a promoção de uma cultura organizacional que estimule a inovação e o aprendizado contínuo. A colaboração com equipes multifuncionais e a escuta ativa aos membros da organização contribuem para a formulação de uma visão inclusiva, onde diversas perspectivas são consideradas.

In my experience, a compelling vision integrates three essential components: Firstly, the 'head' aspects, rooted in data and facts, delineate our current position and the destination we aspire to reach. Secondly, the 'heart' aspects emphasize the social and emotional benefits, underscoring the journey's impact on the greater good. Finally, the 'feet' aspects chart the way forward, detailing the actionable steps and key milestones that guide us on this transformative journey.

In my engagements with executives and CEOs, I initiate the exploration by assessing their visionary leadership first. This involves a twofold approach: first, examining how visionary the leader perceives themselves to be, and second, delving into how visionary they are perceived by others. Establishing self-awareness serves as a powerful foundation for the journey toward a more expansive and visionary version of themselves. Next, we shift our focus to the existing organizational vision. I conduct interviews within the executive team and among employees to explore their clarity and understanding of the current vision. Are they aligned? Do they use the vision as a guiding compass for making day-to-day decisions? Now, the work can begin.

Consider integrating flexibility and adaptability into your goal-setting process. Acknowledge the dynamic nature of business environments and be open to adjusting your goals based on evolving circumstances. Involve key stakeholders in the goal-setting discussions to ensure a shared understanding and commitment. Furthermore, emphasize the importance of continuous feedback and iteration as you work towards your desired outcomes. This iterative approach not only enhances the agility of your change strategy but also encourages a culture of continuous improvement and innovation within your organization.

To craft a personalized vision for change, executives must intimately define their desired outcomes. Outline specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals that resonate with the organization's mission, vision, and values. Reflect on the direct benefits for customers, employees, partners, and shareholders. Delve into how these goals distinguish the organization from competitors and position it for lasting success. This personalized approach ensures a clear and tailored vision, serving as a guiding force for strategic actions and decisions throughout the transformative journey.

Start by identifying the core reasons behind the need for change. Is it to improve efficiency, enter new markets, enhance customer satisfaction, or stay ahead of technological advancements? Imagine the ideal future state of your organisation post-change. What does success look like in terms of performance, culture, market position, and stakeholder value? : Involve key stakeholders in defining the desired outcomes. This includes leaders across different levels, employees, customers, and even suppliers.

Absolutely! After understanding the current reality, define desired outcomes. Set SMART specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals aligned with mission, vision, and values. Consider benefits for customers, employees, partners, and shareholders. Differentiate from competitors and set the path for future success. This clear vision guides actions and decisions toward meaningful change.

The most common mistake I see high-performing women managers make is to decide upon a goal that leads to more pressure. ("I have to do more and more, and I have to do it just right - even though no one knows what the 'right' way is.") Pressure, according to research, actually erodes performance and therefore can slow down the pace of change you want to create. Instead of putting pressure on yourself, be open to giving yourself a boost through change. The change you want may come with you receiving more resources, help, or even a promotion. Your career growth is not at odds with the organization achieving its goals. In fact, they may dovetail perfectly, enhancing both personal and organizational success.

True, Engage stakeholders in developing and refining the vision for change. Identify those affected, involved, or influential in the change. Solicit input, feedback, and support while addressing concerns, expectations, and needs. Leverage their strengths, skills, and insights to create a shared, inclusive vision fostering trust and collaboration.

In my experience, we have very successfully leveraged arts-based methods to engage with stakeholders and have them visualise "What" the ideal state can look like. We use painting, Lego bricks and theatre to achieve this - through 4 stages: 1) introspect based on their values and priorities 2) communicate their ideas for agreement 3) negotiate and build on each others' ideas 4) articulate on canvas or through Lego bricks or enactments what they agree the future should be like. What follows is often a remarkable experience of creativity and co-creation, with strong buy-ins from each stakeholder. After this, we debrief and discuss the "How" part, and explore what will enable the journey to the ideal state, and actions needed.

There are three types of stakeholders you want to engage with, sequentially: First, advisors can share tidbits of relevant and useful information. They might let you know about their prior experience of managing similar change. Second, influencers have the ear of the decision-maker. Let's say you're a Director who reports to the VP, who directly reports to and has a strong rapport with the CFO, the ultimate decider on the annual budget. You'd first want to ensure you have the buy-in or at least an ok from the VP to approach the CFO directly on the budget reform you want to introduce. Third, decision-maker is the person who has the final say. Engage them with a well-prepared pitch, backed by the support of advisors and influencers.

Change is inevitable, but to navigate it successfully, executives need a clear vision. Change within an organization is a multifaceted process that involves various departments, teams, and individuals. To successfully navigate this complexity, executives must go beyond formulating a vision in isolation. Instead, they should actively involve all stakeholders who will be impacted by the impending changes. By involving everyone who will be affected by the change, executives ensure a comprehensive understanding of perspectives and concerns.

Ask questions and engage in active listening. Frequently, leaders solicit feedback primarily from the upper echelons of the hierarchy; however, valuable insights can emerge from diverse perspectives. Surround yourself with a diverse board that can serve as your sounding board, offering varied viewpoints to help you stay on course and adapt your change strategy as necessary

Pro-tip: assemble a small team of diverse employees from all parts of the org, young/old, male/famale, etc. test out your communication with them silently listening and taking notes. Then do a retro - what went well, what didn’t, etc. This helps on many fronts, but the biggest benefit is it will give you better odds in truly connecting with your audience, team, organization.

Working with highly intelligent leaders globally, it's common to find that they believe they have a clear vision in their minds. However, translating this vision into clear and relatable words can be a significant challenge. This difficulty often results in a disconnect between leaders and their teams, especially during times of change. The key lies in taking the time to deeply understand the intricacies of your vision and being able to articulate it in a way that resonates with others. Effective communication of your vision is what truly makes the difference in bringing about successful change and garnering the support of those you lead.

According to me ,It's important to be considerate of the stakeholders involved in communication and tailor the approach accordingly. Storytelling transcends all levels and has a profound impact. When one effectively shares the big picture and the "why," it will be more impactful and smooth .

To lead is to communicate your vision so clearly, people believe it enough to take it on as their own. To do that, your communication needs to appeal to the different ways people process information in order to take action - some are logically driven, some are emotionally driven. The best way to motivate both, is storytelling. There are 3 main benefits: Connection - stories activate both parts of the brain and release oxytocin, responsible for trust, which makes people more receptive to your message Emotion - listeners can visualise the events, empathise with the characters, and experience emotions themselves to make them personally invested Action - provides context, meaning, and relatability to inspire, persuade, and motivate to act

A nice exercise to start crafting your communication on vision is to write a letter to your very best friend. In this letter, converse with your best friend in your usual manner, express your enthusiasm about the vision. Share why you are so thrilled, detailing its significance for the world, for your clients, for your company, for your team and for yourself. If you find this task challenging, it may indicate a need to revisit and refine your vision. If this process flows effortlessly, you can be confident that you've cultivated a compelling and well-developed vision.

Lead by example - In leadership, embodying the vision through your actions is a powerful strategy. By consistently aligning your behavior with the articulated vision, you reinforce its authenticity and provide a tangible example for your team. This approach goes beyond verbal communication; it showcases a commitment that is both visible and inspiring. Leading by example is not just a practice; it's a demonstration of the values and principles integral to the vision, creating a strong foundation for a cohesive and motivated team.

1. Walk your talk: embody the vision in your actions, decisions and leadership style. 2. Develop a strategic plan that outlines how the organisation will achieve its vision. This plan should include key initiatives, resource allocation, timelines, and milestones. Ensure that each element of the plan directly contributes to the vision for change. 3. Establish metrics and monitoring mechanisms to track progress towards the vision. Celebrate milestones and successes to maintain momentum. Be prepared to adapt the strategy as needed based on feedback, learning, and changes in the external environment.

In my experience, successful executives go beyond settings actions and a vision for their growth. They align their vision and objectives to convert these into actionable plans and initiatives. This is possible by planning out the available resources, processes and teams around them. Successful executives align these actions for consistent progress and sustainable outputs.

For executives to craft a compelling vision for change, it's crucial to personally align actions with the envisioned transformation. Translate the vision into specific strategies, plans, and initiatives, tailoring them to your unique leadership style. Ensure alignment of resources, processes, and systems, reflecting your organizational priorities. Personally champion the alignment of behaviors, values, and culture. Establish personalized monitoring and evaluation methods to track progress authentically. This hands-on approach ensures the vision is not just a concept but a personally invested, credible force for sustainable change, yielding tangible results and lasting value.

Before you embark on this step, you need to be sure that you have done due diligence in expectations management. It may feel tempting to overpromise at the beginning, because it feels exciting at the start. However, change is a continuous process and sustainability is key. If you overpromise, and under deliver that hurts your credibility. On the flip side, self-actualization is important because if you set the bar low - than you are not going to feel incentivized to outperform. You also need a challenge to exceed your own expectations and grow along the way. The sweet spot is between playing it safe and exceeding expectations.

Vision for change should be changed and revised regularly by considering the feedback. Focus on gathering feedback from various sources, which includes external stakeholders, clients and customers, and internal employees, peers, and colleagues. As an executive coach, one can help identify how to gather feedback and the tools and approaches to collect the input. Once gathered, we need to review the feedback after processing and identify how the input is to be adapted and what the impact of implementing the change to the vision could be.

Think of your vision like a roadmap that can change based on feedback from your team and what's happening around you. Regularly check in with your team and stakeholders to hear their thoughts and use that information to make your vision even better. Learn from both the good things and the challenges, and be ready to adjust your plans if you see new opportunities or challenges coming your way. Being flexible and open to feedback helps your vision stay strong and keeps your team and organization moving in the right direction.

Executives can craft a transformative vision by personally engaging with stakeholders and proactively seeking their insights. Create a culture where open communication is encouraged, employing surveys and frequent meetings to gather feedback. Personally analyze this input to identify potential opportunities and threats. Embrace a continual learning mindset, extracting personal lessons from successes and failures alike. Regularly revisit and update the vision based on this personalized feedback, ensuring its adaptability. This iterative approach not only builds a resilient vision but also strengthens personal leadership by staying attuned to the organization's dynamic needs.

There is a shadow side of leadership. The hubris that allows leaders to lead is a strength that can be over-used, like any strength. Finding that sweet spot between holding to your vision and knowing when to adjust can be challenging to hit but hitting it is essential. If you miss by holding on to your vision when all signs point to a necessary adjustment, your followers will (rightly) assume you won't listen.

There should be a clear feedback system in place but also open mindset to receive and give feedback. Raw, honest and loving feedback is the missing part in most cases. It requires some training, coaching and growth mindset.

To craft a compelling vision for change, executives must first understand the big picture - how their function contributes to corporate strategy across different planning horizons. Next, build business acumen to spot market trends, grasp financials and identify what the organization specifically needs now. This consultative perspective allows you to propose changes aligned to strategic goals. Additionally, forge relationships with other leaders to collaborate on direction-setting. Have regular dialogues on the future vision and how each department contributes. An empowering vision emerges from seeing interconnections, grasping the landscape and rallying others to a better future state.

Let me explain it through an example. Imagine you're an explorer setting off on a grand adventure. Before you begin, you need a treasure map to guide you through the unknown. In the business world, executives also need a clear vision for change, much like a treasure map. I once worked with a leader who envisioned transforming their company into a collaborative haven. Through coaching, we crafted a vision so vivid that every team member could see the treasure on the horizon. Just like an explorer's map, a well-defined vision in executive coaching guides everyone toward a common goal, fostering unity and success on the organizational journey.

I've learned often the best place to start is with an understanding that 'a clear vision for change' may have a linear roadmap, but will not be a linear experience. Consider the vision for change also include a vision for resistance.

I believe many leaders ignore an important aspect of vision and the crucial processes that come alongside casting a new vision into the horizon. That you must actually be walking that way. And - you might need to go first. When a vision process starts, the leaders must immediately be tuned into the question: who am I becoming? What does this vision ask of me? How do I need to change? You cannot simply be talking of a new vision. You must become the vision - and you must become aware and intentional of how you're going to go about that. This is a game changer as it will impact how people relate to and engage with the vision - you going in first creates commitment like no other.

Having a clear vision for change means different things for different people. The CEO has an idea. The leadership team has ideas for their silos. The rest - has concerns how this "clear vision" will impact their daily worklife. Having a clear visions does not mean having a clear vision for yourself - that is the starting point - but it means having multiple translations what that actually means for the many stakeholders involved. Implementing a clear vision does not happen by sending around powerpoint decks to everyone involved. Different questions need to be answered for different stakeholders.