Many companies have a company vision; or they think they do. In many cases, those grand words that look good in the company profile, or on the office wall, may leave the employees unmoved.
Here are three of the most common mistakes, and why they don’t work.
Using big words that people don’t understand
In trying to sound grand and glorious, some company vision statements use big words that their employees are not familiar with. Even if you can explain its meaning, the strange jargon makes it hard for them to remember and relate.
Focusing on a goal instead of a cause
Once upon a time, employees were motivated by their company becoming ‘no. 1 in Asia’ or ‘at the forefront of technology’. These days, with more than 50% of the workforce made up of millennials, these statements leave them cold. They want to make a difference in the world. They want to contribute to a worthy cause, and making the shareholders rich is not it.
It is fine to have a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) or Business Target, but that should not take the place of the company’s Vision. While goals define
the ‘what’, it is the vision that provides the ‘why’. Without a clear and compelling ‘why’ the pursuit of business goals can feel meaningless.
Leaving it on the wall
In order for your company’s vision to come to life, it needs to be imbued into everyday conversation. Beyond announcing it at a townhall, the company’s leaders need to constantly refer to it while discussing company strategy and decision-making.
If it is a cause worth fighting for, you wouldn’t get tired of speaking about it.
We hope these tips serve to reconnect you with your company’s vision and strengthen the meaning that it holds for you and your team. May it serve as a compass pointing the way to greater success in the coming year.
