Sharing Your Business Vision for Future Success

You have a vision for your business — if you didn’t, your business would never have even gotten off the ground. But there is one important question you may not have considered before: Can everyone else see your vision?

Sadly, when others in the company do not understand the business’s vision, they are not working to further those goals and the business often fails. But by clarifying your vision so everyone can work towards a unified goal, your business processes will become so much more effective.

So how can you define your company’s vision? As it turns out you don’t need to write a hundred page manifesto — you just need to answer eight questions. In the book Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business, author Gino Wickman outlines the essential questions that will help you not only clarify your vision for yourself, but communicate it to others.

[sidebar] Need more help defining your vision? Download the free Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO) from author Gino Wickman.[/sidebar]

1. What are your core values?
   What are the values that drive your business? And how can your employees live up to those values each day when they come to work?
2. What is your core focus?
   Have you defined your reason for being and your niche? Are you on track with those goals or are you allowing yourself to get distracted and veer off course?
3. What is your 10-year target?
   Where would you like to see your business down the road, in terms of sales, products, business processes, and growth? Create specific goals and targets to work towards.
4. What is your marketing strategy?
   What is the focus of your sales and marketing strategy? Are all of your marketing dollars and efforts going towards something that will contribute to this strategy and create a stronger brand message?
5. What is your three-year picture?
   What are your short term goals? These should be measures that are possible to attain in just a couple of years, and that also will provide a firm foundation for future success.
6. What is your one-year plan?
   What would you like to accomplish within the next year? Your goals for this period should be very specific fixes that lay the groundwork for future success and long term plans.
7. What are your quarterly Rocks?
   What are your most important priorities for this quarter, or your “Rocks?” The majority of your resources, time, and attention should go into fulfilling these needs.
8. What are your issues?
   What are some areas of difficulty that could use a better solution? For this question, step outside yourself for a fresh perspective. Use the input of your leadership team and involved employees to determine how issues can be resolved.

As you process these questions, remember, it is always a good thing when others challenge your vision or ask questions. Responding thoughtfully to those questions will make you really think and may help you see areas for improvement.

It takes more than a great vision to build a successful business. You need the support of those around you too.

[cta]Are you ready to share your business vision with the rest of your company? Learn how you can do it the right way. Contact us at 469-384-7122, by email, or through our contact page.[/cta]