Creating a Vision That Achieves Results
How important is a vision statement to your company or division? Well, have you ever thought about embarking on a journey without knowing where you are going? The same can be said about running a company, without a vision statement you are going places but who knows if it is in the right direction or even if you want to go there.
A vision statement should paint a picture of what you want your business or division to look like in the future. A vision statement should be specific to a company, team or division and therefore there could be numerous vision statements in one company. It should tell you what you are trying to build. It should be expansive, full of passion and allow you to dream of possibilities. This is not something that you are necessarily going to share with your customers this is about what you want for your future.
Your vision statement should excite you and help you dream. If your vision statement doesn't excite you how can you expect to be successful, how can go to work each day and be motivated?
To create your vision statement you need to think outside the box, think of wild possibilities. This is not the time to be limited by practicalities and what you believe be to truths. Aim for the stars. When writing your vision statement keep the ideas flowing. Use adjectives that excite and motivate you. Don't let anything stand in your way.
Once you have the first draft down live with it for a couple of days, ask others for their input. Remember nothing is set in stone. The vision statement you create today may work for the next 6 months or 3 years but ultimately the environment changes or you begin to see new possibilities and then your vision statement needs to change as well.
Below are 3 examples of vision statements that work. Many have numbers and dates in them but this is not a requirement. The numbers do, however, focus your ideas and clarify what you want to achieve. They also are measurable and you will be able to see when you achieve that vision.
Industrial Company: Within the next five years build ZXM into the premier west coast industrial process automation company specializing in integration solutions. ZXM revenues will grow to $20 million by 2009 by expanding its role from a manufacturing rep. company to a complete engineering, field service and process solutions company.
Management Team: Evolve the existing management team into a vital growing force that:
Marketing Plan: Within the next year, build a highly efficient marketing program to catapult our web graphics seminar business to $500,000 annual revenues.
Create your own vision statement To create a vision statement it could help to fill in the blanks of the sentence below:
Within the next ___ years grow ______________________ (company/department name) into a ______________________ (type of company) providing ______________________ (description of products/services) to ______________________ (description of target customer/clients) with annual sales of $ ________.
A vision statement is the first step towards achieving the results you truly desire.
GRAEME NICHOL, President, Arcturus Advisors.
http://www.arcturusadvisors.com/
Graeme Nichol has worked on 4 continents and in 117 unique businesses gaining experience in manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, communications, banking, direct marketing, consumer goods and retail amongst others. He has significant management experience and consulting experience, including Business strategy, project management, change management, big six consulting, team productivity, business productivity and quality improvement, ERP implementations.
Arcturus Advisors works with businesses and teams that are struggling to formulate a strategic plan that delivers bottom line results. Using tried and tested planning systems that have achieved results internationally for 20 years we ensure that you transform your business through focus, alignment and accountability.
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exitingMore Strategic Planning Information:
Related Articles
The Top 10 Priorities That Guard Your Five-Star Reputation
Making money doesn't make your reputation..
Business Plan: Planning the Operations
Writing a business plan is no easy task, sure you can whip something together in a day or so, but without proper planning you are setting yourself up to fail. Many first time entrepreneurs have a bit of trouble writing a business plan, which will be acceptable to bankers and investors.
Idaho Market for Automotive Businesses; Doing it Right
Anyone who has been watching the Idaho Market Carefully for auto services, knows that the market is ripe, ready and growing. I visited Southern Idaho after establishing franchises in Northern Idaho three years ago for our auto aftermarket franchise company.
The Chief Cause of Business Failure & Success
Business rises and falls on leadership. According to business guru, Brian Tracy, "Leadership is the most important single factor in determining business success or failure in our competitive, turbulent, fast-moving economy.
Business Plans Keep You On The Success Course
Where would your business be without a proper plan? A
business plan sets the direction for the future of the
business. It gives the business owner or manager a sense
of guidance, listing the goals and objectives of the
business from the start.
Financing Business Expansion for Your Small Company
How you finance the expansion of your business is important. Borrowing and understanding the consequences of borrowing for your financing is extremely important.
Getting Started with Succession Planning: Part I
GETTING STARTED WITH SUCCESSION PLANNING: PART IA survey of 4,300 small business owners by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) revealed about 37% said they plan to sell their businesses upon retirement to non-family members. Twenty-six per cent said they planned to transfer or sell their business to family members, and an equal percentage had no business transfer plans yet.
Are You Ready To Go International?
Although North Americans were the dominant population on the Internet, that has now changed, and the rest of the world has caught up rapidly. And while English is still the most widely used Internet language, it's not the language of choice for many, many Internet users.
To Go or No Go, That Is The Question
Last week we talked about a few of the ways to test the feasibility of a business idea to help determine if the idea really had merit or just looked good on the surface. To recap, I said don't bet the farm on the opinions of friends and family, consult with knowledgeable business experts, and conduct a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) Analysis.
Rules to Setting Business Goals and Objectives: Why and How to be SMART
We all know that nothing runs without a plan, and a plan cannot run without having its objectives set.That applies to any kind of plan, whether we're talking business or personal finances, university degrees or NGO programs, website promotion or weight loss.
Pressure Washing Entrepreneurs Can Help With Government NPDES Permits
If you own a pressure washing business one of the smartest things you can do is get involved with the local and regional enforcement for storm water environmental laws. The reason being is they do not understand the washing process of the industry and you can assist them with pertinent information.
Innovators Role at Hard Times
One Research Scientist at the Hewlett-Packard (HP) Imaging Systems laboratory said Carly Fiorina was a marketing person put in change of engineers who cared nothing about the art and beauty of technology. She just wanted saleable stock to bring to market.
Legal Strategies in Business Plans
Writing a Business Plan these days is tough, venture capitalists are busy and there are so many ideas to choose from. Bankers want a tight, sweet and to the point business plan.
Communication Strategy During A Time Of Strategic Planning
"Rubbish!" shouted the large, aggressive man in the red-striped shirt (we had to pay attention to him because he owned the company).
"The staff don't need to be told anything.
Pave the Way to a Successful Strategic Plan
Many very successful business owners may never have had a formal strategic plan. Some think, "Why do we need to do strategic planning? We're doing great just like we are.
If You Dont Focus, Innovate and Evolve, You Die
After 128 years of business, a household word, Montgomery Wards, Inc., closed their doors forever and filed bankruptcy.
How To Leverage Your Current Ideas And Products Into Multiple Revenue Streams
Diversify - to make diverse, give variety, to balance, to divide securities in different industries, to produce variety, to engage in varied operations.Diversification is a wealth building strategy; it is also an excellent method for becoming more profitable.
Invalid Excuses for Poor Business Results - Rising costs
Note to Northwest Airlines - It's not about fuel costsFor the first quarter of 2005, Northwest Airlines posted a loss of $458 million. The main reason cited was high fuel costs.
The Accountability/Alignment Process: Three Steps to an Accountable Organization
The Accountability/Alignment Process: Three Steps to an Accountable Organization Generating genuine accountability and functional alignment into your workplace cannot be left to vague ambitions and abstract statements. Well designed processes must be embedded into the heart of an organization to ensure that each employee's goals and expectations are clearly defined and that the resources to bring about specific measurable results are in place.
Executive Summary for Business Plans of Franchisees
Writing a business plan for a franchised outlet of a larger company to get funding or find investors is difficult because the franchisor already has a plan which is working, but until you are privy to it upon purchase you actually know relatively few details. The franchisor must keep this information proprietary to insure competitors do not steal the information, but the franchise buyer needs the information to prepare a business plan to get a loan from a bank.