A strong vision is the core to successful strategy

In the startup phase, companies have crystal clear vision statements. Founders and leaders know exactly what they want to achieve – and they articulate it perfectly to investors and employees. But as companies mature … vision can get blurry.

Over time and as you grow, your company’s purpose can get lost or watered down. When that happens, passion and accountability are also drained from the organization.

Don’t let that happen. Make a plan to keep the vision alive and compelling, through every phase of business growth. 

Vision informs strategy

When every part of the organization is in sync, it operates in a state of prime. That means leaders and teammates are all aligned and engaged, and you are able to achieve elevated performance, increased efficiency and strengthen organizational health.  

Vision is the uniting factor — the rallying cry and the litmus test – that keeps everyone on the path to Prime. Your company vision should:

• State your purpose: Communicate your vision in simple terms that resonate with employees and customers. Everyone should know and understand “the why” behind the business. (Need inspiration? Disney’s vision is “to make people happy” and Google wants to “provide access to the world’s information in one click.”)
• Bake it into your culture: Use the vision to set standards, understand and solve issues and channel passion into action. It should guide your organizational structure and hiring decisions and can be embedded in your facilities. Every company decision needs to pass a “vision test.”
• Link people, purpose and passion: People from every level of the organization need to be passionate about the vision to make it come alive. Talk about the vision often, connect it to strategy and share stories about how employees, customers and partners “walked the talk.”
• Hold people accountable: As companies expand and age, the original vision can become blocked by new, competing priorities. Empower people to speak up when actions or decisions stray from the founding vision.

Benefits of vision

On average, only 5% of employees know and understand their firm’s strategy. If that’s the case, success can only happen by accident.

A compelling vision isn’t a soft target. It bears tangible, financial results. Companies with focused vision deliver better customer experiences, have more energized and engaged employees, and make the right decisions faster.

How Wipfli can help

Wipfli’s Prime Growth System is an operating system that helps companies reach and maintain a state of prime. We understand why and how visions become blurry, and help companies steer their way back to optimal health. We can assess your vision, and six other key performance areas, on your path to prime. Learn more about how to get started with our Prime Rapid Assessment.