Visioning

Now we have facilitated visioning exercise of more than 50 small businesses. Recently we did visioning program for a Automotive parts manufacturing Company in Dewas (Madhya Pradesh). This company was introduced by our friend Yogesh Jain who also became an ardent follower of School of Strategy and he runs his organisation Niche Quality Solutions Pvt Ltd (http://nicheqs.com/), which has long experience in providing Six sigma, Quality solutions to organisations in and around Indore. An year's experience in strategy workshops have given him an opportunity to develop an unconventional perspectives on business growth. He says " I have attended many management programs organised by institutions such as IMA.... but the business strategy workshops are different and they really add value to the organisation. There is a sense of fulfillment in taking part in these sessions". It is wonderful to work with him now... ...

During the meetings with business owners the question that comes up a lot in the work we do is the difference between vision and mission. At times we come across companies which do not bother to distinguish them at all: but...They have a separate Values Statement (thank goodness), but if you ask them to tell their Vision, and then their Mission, they’ll give you the same answer for both questions. So what is . difference? Does it matter? Yes it does! we will see visioning here .

• A strategic vision is usually thought to be solely future oriented. A vision provides an organization a forward looking, idealized image of itself.


• Moves outside the usual assumptions.


• Concentrates on the end goal, not the means to reach the goal.


• Followers gain ownership by developing the means (action plan).

Another benefit when done together with the people in the organisation is shared vision, which includes a present component.

• Vision is not a destination, but an intangible structure that surrounds us and guides our daily activities. From this perspective, a shared vision is a form of self-identity.

This definition of vision is a collective belief in what the organization can become. In this way it is similar to a truly desired wish for the future. If the vision is sufficiently broad it is enough for providing a framework for current decisions.

Regularly feedback can be employed for both corrective action and vision revision (interesting combination of words). If the feedback indicates a problem in the implementation and nothing amiss in the expected vision then the strategy and/or tactics can be altered to get back on track toward the vision. And if there is an indication that the vision is no longer realistic there is no problem with a shift in vision to a more workable vision. Normal planning cycles allow for such a step on an annual or half yearly basis.

ImplicationsWhat is unique about the organization's self-concept of itself? Something that would be missed if the organization were not to fulfill this vision.

What issues might arise among different stakeholders as this vision is realized?
Are organizational practices aligned with the vision? Are desired actions reinforced by performance metrics?

Putting an organization’s mission & vision in place requires working at all levels of the organization. Often, the effort is only made at the top of the organization with the expectation that employee commitment will follow. This assumption is far from true. It is recommended that a specific change program be put in place to develop a shared vision and common understanding of the organization’s vision and mission.

Organisational Commitment

At the moment the most common disappontment expressed by senior managers and business owners is that their employees / subordinates do not take ownership of the organisational processes.

As mentioned in earlier posts there are many reasons for repulsing the organisational decisions by the employees.

The business owner / senior manger must find ways to get commitment rather than compliance from the employees, if the managers want the employees to take ownership of the organisation.

Commitment is not compliance! It is not Loyalty! It is not involvement!

Compliance is seen when a manager orders the subordinate to do something and the latter carries it out.

Loyalty is a willingness to remain with the organisation.

Involvement is participation and intrest in the job minus dedication to something higher.

What is commitment then?

In Ken Matejka's words , Commitment is the act of being physically, psychologically, and emotionally impelled. It means the worker gladly gives up other options and makes the task the top priority in his life.

To get commitment from others in the organisation, the manager / business owner must turn into a leader. Commitment is a scarry term: people will be afraid of losing something or of getting harmed. Only a leader can remove that fear and show a reason to care for the organisation. Once an employee catches the big picture, the orientation towards the task changes dramatically and the ownership of the task is claimed. A clear, exciting organisational vision inspires people to commit their talents and energy to make it happen.

The maintenace of the ownership by the employees depends on the leading posture taken by the manger and the quality of rewards to the employees. This is yet another tool in making the employee own the task. I shall blog on it another time.

contributed by Sasikanth Prabhu