Do you have a vision of your activities or your projects? Developing, sharing and communicating a vision is key to remain focused on the purpose of every day activity.
Without a vision, we can work as a team but the work quality may not be there and some timeline may slide. In addition, the passion and feeling of commitment may also be missing. A lack of shared vision among the team limits the scope of the project and could cause problems as each team member may have developed with time a slightly different view of the work purpose. So, better clarify the different views during the vision definition, as early as possible, ideally at the beginning of the project.
What is it?
A vision is a positive picture or mental image that connects personal and team energy with the added values of a given project. Developing a vision builds a common sense of purpose and creates a visual mental picture of the intended project outcome. Defining, sharing and communicating the project vision give the team the capability to view and focus together on the intended results. It helps the team to gather energy toward the common goal. When a team develops and effectively uses a common vision, the team usually better coordinates and executes the tasks with stronger commitment. In addition, the team is more satisfied, which positively affects the project delivery, quality and added value.
The outcome?
Connecting vision and learning is a fantastic and powerful habit to get synergy and energy during the project development!
How to define a Vision?
1. Think broadly about hopes, dreams and future related to the project. A mind mapping could help through this first step.
2. What if… Push further the imagination in resolving known obstacles or limitations. Define the problems to resolve to reach a global benefit shared by many.
3. Refine in order to challenge the vision in order to make it attainable. The outcome of this step is the core of the vision, which is a list of 15 to 20 idealistic goals.
4. Feel it. Finally, imagine what it would be like if each of these idealistic goals turns into a reality. Imagine the reactions of your customers when seeing or using the final product or solution. Think about how you feel, see and hear.
Get back to the Vision as a Motivational Tool as often as needed. It helps to reconnect with the reason why you are in this business and what is your overall purpose.
Finally, a vision is a picture towards which we go towards and which we want to reach out. However, not only do we continue learning and progressing, but circumstances may also change as well. So, re-visioning regularly is necessary to adjust over and over the vision to refine and make it as current and relevant as possible.
Here is the 2022 Vision for GM Consult: To be responsible and active in using and providing relevant solutions to resolve interdependent challenges for the Energy and Environment sectors.
1. Think broadly
2. What if I could…
3. Refine in goals to get a list of idealistic goals
Develop best practices in
Communicate best practices with regularity
Help, assist Technical teams to deliver in
Help Waste Collection Optimization
Gather specific and unique talents with free spirit and let's-do-it attitude
Develop synergy between partners
Learn, learn, learn
Get anti fragile collectively with enthusiasm, serenity and safely
4. Vision Definition
To be responsible and active in using and providing relevant solutions to resolve interdependent challenges for the Energy and Environment sectors.
References:
Creating a shared vision with a project team (pmi.org)
Successful Leadership: Create a Vision Through Inspiration | Gallup
Building Your Company’s Vision (hbr.org) 120
Make a digital vision real by learning and adapting along the way | McKinsey
Lindborg, H. J. (2000). Project vision. PM Network, 14(3), 41–45.
Thoms, P. (1997). Creating a shared vision with a project team. PM Network, 11(1), 33–35.