A focused individual who can inspire his team to reach organizational goals is a visionary business leader. Visionary leaders are driven and inspired by what a company can become. They are not bogged down with technical details, but they are a big picture people whose intent is to usher in new eras of innovation and development. Visionary leaders characteristically bring cohesiveness to inspire everyone to be on the same page. To meet their objectives, visionary leaders are often charismatic and determined. They identify themselves as confident coaches who are meant to guide the organization through transitions or difficult organizational eras. Leadership vision is an essential means for focusing attention on what matters the most; what you want to accomplish in your life and what kind of leader you wish to be. A useful vision has to be rooted in your past, address the future, and deal with today’s realities.
According to George Ambler, vision is what separates great leaders from the rest. Vision is the foundation of leadership. Whilst leadership starts with being the right person i.e. the character of the leader, great leadership in turn is sustained by a shared and compelling vision. A compelling vision is one that describes who you are, why you exist and the future you want to create. Although visions are intangible [or so they appear] they are a critical asset for a leader to drive their under-leaders to high performance. A deep understanding of personal values mixed with traits such as curiosity, ambition and passion often lay the groundwork for CEOs to formulate effective visions.
No person or organization has a one time, all time vision. Vision is a continuous work-in-progress. One of the major tasks of leaders is to know when a new frontier opens before the organization and then make necessary adjustment to absorb it. The leader checks if the new opportunity or challenge requires renewal of the ongoing vision and approach. He then scopes to see if the going forward would demand a totally new vision or merely adjusting the existing one to clinch the deal. This takes time, effort, money, investment, experimentation and reflection.
Vision, people, organizations should evolve as their business environments evolve. When they do, chief leaders must make the change crystal clear to the people who are going to work it- at every given moment there is change in the vision. Change in/of vision introduces a change of approach. This is so because vision provides the rest of the organization (its under-leaders or customers and collaborators where applicable) with direction, meaning and a benchmark for decision making.
Vision is the drive of the organization. It is what the whole organization wakes up to everyday and is excited about to be working towards. It creates a push that the organization needs for goal getting. If the vision isn’t powerful enough, there may be challenges to get workers to be motivated enough to work. Mind you, vision is more than just a paper hanging on every wall in the office, it is what the staff lives and breathes. The strength of a vision will determine the staff attitude to work. A vision must be made powerful enough to permeate though the essence of the organization that even when someone visits, he feels the drive that the vision has created. It is important that every member of staff of an organization knows the vision and mission statement of the organization as a guide or reminder as to why he was employed in the first place. The vision of an organization should be shared in a way that compels one and all to act. This is the secret to a successful leadership as the people will only need to be reminded less and less of why they are where they are in the organization.
There are fundamentals necessary for a vision that excites and motivates people to follow the leader:
Clearly set organizational direction and purpose
Inspire loyalty and caring through the involvement of all employees

Display and reflect the unique strengths, culture, values, beliefs and direction of the organization

Inspire enthusiasm, belief, commitment and excitement in company members

Help employees believe that they are part of something bigger than themselves and their daily work.

Be regularly communicated and shared not just through monthly announcements and reminders at the company meeting.

Serve as the reason for a chosen line of action; why people are hired; why markets are selected, and which products are developed.

Challenge people to outdo themselves, to stretch and reach.

Leadership and management experts agree that this message of an evolution of leaders and organization be shared on a global dimension. Jeff Immelt of General Electric told us, “You become a CEO not because of what you know, but because of how fast you can learn, relearn and unlearn (an ongoing circle throughout our lives on earth) and that’s something that people don’t always understand”. There is a projection of what the world will be like in 5, 10, 15 or 20 years, but the question is: can a leader or a person continue to be relevant along that timeline without an evolution?

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