Visualizing visions is one of our most exciting tasks, because this is where we literally shape the future. Especially when companies have reached a certain size, a personal exchange becomes more and more difficult between the founders, owners or upper management, who usually have a very clear idea of the company vision, and the employees, who are supposed to understand and implement this vision.
As a guideline, the Dunbar number can be mentioned here, which describes the number of people with whom an individual can maintain social relationships.
Accordingly, companies with 150 or more employees in particular face the challenge of communicating their vision in a sustainable manner, as do smaller companies in which personal exchange is only possible to a limited extent, such as decentralized organizations or those with a high proportion of virtual collaboration.
In such cases, it is important to work with formats and media that enable executives and multipliers to make the vision tangible and alive and ultimately bring everyone in the company along with them.
We have compiled seven lessons learned from our projects for you that we find very valuable in the development of a corporate vision:
- A corporate vision is like a North Star and provides orientation. It indicates the direction in which the company should develop in the long term.
- When creating it, start with the why – the reason why your company exists. What problem do you want to solve? What purpose do you want to fulfill?
Today, the focus is not only on customer benefits. Sustainably successful companies also focus on their contribution to society and the environment. A company can only thrive if it grows on fertile soil. - Shows a desirable future that inspires and motivates. Define a clearly articulated vision for your company. Make your vision as concrete and detailed as possible, e.g. by giving concrete examples. From the vision, goals and strategies can be derived together to facilitate the achievement of the vision.
- Involve your employees in the development and implementation of your corporate vision. By involving them and giving them direction, you foster a sense of ownership and collaboration. Make your vision a shared concern.
- Also tell your company’s story: starting and growing a business is an exciting journey. Tell your story to show what roots and events have influenced your company’s vision. Looking at the future always includes looking at the present and the past. Strengths from the past give impetus and mistakes can be used to learn for the future.
- Make your vision understandable. A vision statement should be memorable, comprehensible and motivating. If possible, it should not only consist of text, and if it does, it should at least create strong images in your mind. It should be clear to everyone what the goal of the company is, why and how you can achieve it together.
- The roll-out of your vision should not be a sprint that takes place exclusively in a kick-off meeting. Rather, the vision should be present in the workday and provide guidance when making decisions. Let the vision become a constant companion in the company. This includes adapting the vision when something changes and communicating it to everyone who is or becomes part of your corporate cosmos.
If you are also thinking about visualizing your vision, we would be happy to show you the development and application possibilities in a non-binding video call. Let us shape the future together!
We are looking forward to your message to contact@big-pictury.com