As a leader, you have a vision and a strategy for your team, but how do you communicate them effectively and build trust and alignment among your team members? In this article, you will learn how to use your vision and strategy to strengthen team relationships and achieve your goals.
Vision and strategy are not just words on a paper or a slide. They are the guiding principles that define your purpose, direction, and approach to your work. They help you and your team to align your actions with your desired outcomes, and to overcome challenges and uncertainties. They also inspire and motivate your team to perform at their best and to contribute to a shared mission.
Ensuring your team comprehends your company's vision and strategy is paramount. Without this understanding, their efforts may lack direction and purpose. Purpose serves as a cornerstone for motivation, driving individuals to excel and contribute meaningfully. When team members align with the broader goals and strategies of the company, their work gains significance. This understanding not only fuels their motivation but also fosters a sense of belonging and commitment. Clearly articulating the company's vision cultivates a shared sense of purpose, empowering your team to connect their roles to the larger objectives.
Vision is like a prime directive. When in doubt, you and your team should have one and only one prime directive to guide you on what to do next . This is an inviolable principle and metaphorically speaking, can be compared to a lighthouse which guides ships lost in stormy seas. A vision gives the organization something much bigger than individual aspirations and helps to not lose sight of what we are out to achieve. This is a very powerful motivator and if leaders can ingrain the organization's vision into their teams, teams work much more cohesively to achieve the common goal,setting aside their differneces.
As a line manager, I would always explain the big picture to my team ahead of asking them to work on it. There was a marked difference in their motivation when they were able to connect their efforts to the vision of what we wanted to achieve. In the process, they would brainstorm and work on the best way to fulfil the vision and chart a strategy accordingly. As leaders, we should ensure that our vision is shared by the team and they believe in it.
It’s important to give meaning to what you do today as that is what gets reflected in the outcomes you get tomorrow. We all pass through the cycles of wins and failures however what matter most is the learnings we get from both sides which helps design the strategy and defines the time it will take to reach to the vision we set. Nothing is difficult or easy if you know what is required it makes you think it’s easy and if you don’t it makes you think it’s difficult; thought process to learn and open to take feedback in what you do as an individual or part of the team will define the chances of your success. Value addition to self and sharing the learnings with all creates a better you and a better team.
I always start by asking any partner about their strategy before deciding whether to move forward. A strategy can define the key pillars to curate any mutual business opportunity. Without it, it can set expectations for too much chaos.
Before you can communicate your vision and strategy to your team, you need to craft them in a clear and compelling way. A clear vision and strategy answer the following questions: What is the ultimate goal or impact that you want to achieve? Why is it important and meaningful? How will you measure your progress and success? What are the main steps or actions that you will take to get there? What are the assumptions, risks, and opportunities that you need to consider? To craft a clear and compelling vision and strategy, you need to do some research, analysis, and brainstorming, and then refine and simplify your message into a concise and memorable statement.
Involve your team during this step. This shouldn't be done only by top leadership. When you involve as much of the team as possible in vision and strategy, the team will take ownership over the parts they contribute. It's also worth discussing a lot of this with the team who work through challenges on a daily basis. They have great ideas - all you have to do is ask.
Remember, Saudi was trailing by a goal to Messi-led Argentina in a Fifa World Cup match at halftime. Saudi coach united the team and reminded them about their vision and the sacrifices they made to play on a global stage. He defined three things- * Play fearlessly * Don't underestimate your worth just because Messi is your opponent. * Play high-pressing football The players followed the strategy religiously and at the end of 90 minutes, the Saudis defeated Argentina 2-1 and pulled out a miracle.
My book "Leaders Are Not Prophets" is available on Amazon.com & worldwide, link is below
It is the most rewarding activity to craft a vision and strategy with your own team. Such activities significantly enhanced the team engagement. Start with the purpose and the organization vision. Please note some teams create their own vision differ from the company vision, in my personal opinion such initiative undermine the main vision and should be avoided. SWOT analysis and other such techniques are excellent to find the starting point and open and honest communication with the team, brings great vision and strategies.
Vision, by definition, is long term, and hence, can become a little nebulous. However, one useful thing to remember is that if you want the vision to be used in daily decisions and guide the organization at all levels, it should be Actionable and when someone actually wants to use it at a critical juncture to decide between choices, it should be crystal clear. Try having a concrete verb in it and keep it simple. Some of the most well known organization's guiding principles are like that - for example, as Google says, "Don't be evil".
The success of your vision is tightly tied to its clarity & communication/ awareness within the team. While crafting the vision I’d be mindful that it is something I’m highly passionate about & the same is reflected when I share it with my team. You set the leadership goals to achieve the mission & then every unit in the organisation to contribute towards the same mission. The most important ingredient of a compelling vision & strategy is when every team member has the clarity of how their goal is tied to the mission & how their output contribute towards the overall success. It is important that you connect and make the required updates to your strategy from time to time to ensure the effectiveness in the extremely dynamic microeconomics.
Once you have crafted your vision and strategy, you need to communicate them effectively to your team. Effective communication means that you use different channels, formats, and styles to reach your audience, and that you tailor your message to their needs, preferences, and feedback. For example, you can use a combination of written documents, presentations, videos, podcasts, newsletters, or blogs to convey your vision and strategy. You can also use stories, metaphors, analogies, or examples to illustrate your points and make them more relatable. You can also use visuals, charts, graphs, or diagrams to show your data and evidence. Most importantly, you need to communicate your vision and strategy frequently, consistently, and transparently, and invite your team to ask questions, share their opinions, and provide feedback.
Story-telling, Repetition, Story-telling and more Repetition. Malcom Gladwell said it takes 23 times of repeating something before it actually starts to sync in, this applies to both your own team, your stakeholders, and the teams at large. So I suggest having an in-depth version of your Vision & Strategy that you walk teams through a few times ... then having an abbreviated version (3 pages) that you use every time you present and connect every presentation as a tenant of your vision & strategy and where it fits into what you're trying to achieve.
Remember, Netaji gave the slogan, "You give me blood and I'll give you freedom." This one slogan made lakhs of Indians ready to fight and sacrifice their life for Indian independence. He was clear, concise and conveyed the message effectively that - your leader is not going to sit back and relax rather he will lead the battle from the front.
Story telling from the customer or user point of view, combined with data from user research, industry stats, opportunity estimation is often a great way to communicate strategy, especially in your upward chain. To explain strategy to peer or partner teams, including nuggets about how the strategy can help them meet their goals often helps build cross org bridges that deliver together. Overall, tune your story to the audience who is hearing your strategy and it will land better.
Communicate your vision often and in multiple formats and cadences. Name the vision with a short tagline and use the name to rally everyone around it. Ensure that the vision and strategy are linked vibrantly, clearly, and cohesively with goals, filtering down to each person's role on the team. Reference your strategy and vision frequently through various mediums and formats. The goal is to share the message about where you're headed, why it matters, and how you'll get there over and over so it becomes a visceral part of your culture.
Walk the Talk, as a leader we need to instill our company vision and strategy to our team, if rolling up your sleeves is required to show your company value, then do it. Be the role model, the walking example of the company vision and strategy. Once again Walk the Talk, once you own it, your team will follow suit.
Communicating your vision and strategy is not enough. You also need to involve your team in your vision and strategy, and make them feel valued and empowered. Involving your team means that you seek their input, ideas, and suggestions, and that you incorporate them into your vision and strategy. It also means that you delegate tasks, responsibilities, and decisions to your team members, and that you support them with the necessary resources, guidance, and feedback. It also means that you recognize and appreciate their contributions, and that you celebrate their achievements and milestones. By involving your team in your vision and strategy, you foster a sense of ownership, engagement, and commitment among your team members.
I've found it helpful to take the time to recognize each team member's unique strengths and to be intentional about putting them in a position to be successful. This way when seeking input for implementing one's vision and strategy, it allows for built in trust within the team. People can clearly see the reason a given task was delegated and rally around a common goal as opposed to becoming disengaged or discouraged. This approach also helps include expert opinions which can often further refine the strategy giving the team a feeling of inclusion and unity.
As long as your vision doesn't give goosebumps to your team members, they won't be ready to give their 100 per cent energy to the cause. Don't just make the vision profit-oriented, make it personal for your team members so they may feel relatable. For ex- A scene from the URI film depicts how the commander talks about and shows the pic of the martyrs from the families of each soldier before going on a surgical strike. This makes the goal more personal than professional.
In my experience, to involve my team to the Corporate Vision and Strategy, I've found it helpful to apply a Management by Objectives (MBO) framework by aligning company and my team objectives. One of the key steps on implementing a successful MBO is to lean into your staff's strengths and translate that objective to the Corporate Objective.
We only get a step closer to reality when you ensure your vision contributes towards achievement of goals set out by the team on the path for success… when all forces work in the same direction it makes the perfect strategy to achievement of the vision, key is to know no one can do it alone and fastest way is to help other meet their vision while you work on yours. Teamwork is essential to success. ????
Your team's input and vision should be an integral part of your organizational vision. By involving them in the process of strategy building, you can gain their buy-in and ensure that everyone is aligned with the common goal. Open communication with your team members is crucial to achieve this alignment. Moreover, they can provide valuable insights that you may have overlooked, given their day-to-day involvement in the activities and their diverse perspectives.
Involving your team in your vision and strategy is not enough. You also need to align your team with your vision and strategy, and make sure that everyone is on the same page and working towards the same direction. Aligning your team means that you clarify the roles, expectations, and goals of each team member, and that you align them with your vision and strategy. It also means that you monitor and track the performance and progress of your team, and that you identify and address any gaps, issues, or conflicts that may arise. It also means that you provide feedback, coaching, and mentoring to your team members, and that you help them to grow and develop their skills and competencies. By aligning your team with your vision and strategy, you ensure that your team is focused, productive, and efficient.
Don't just push a wholly formed vision & strategy on the team. To align the team, make sure they feel ownership in crafting it. Don't just tell, ASK THEM. This helps turn it from YOUR to OUR vision & strategy. Once you reach the place of collective acceptance of the vision & strategy, work with individual team members to PERSONALISE it Help each team member determine what their own personal role is in delivering the strategy to achieve the vision. Work with them to discover the answer to "What's in it for me?" and "What do I have to do personally to make this happen?" Beyond group engagements, interact one-on-one. Have each person share with you their own interpretation of the vision & strategy & their role in making it happen
Damit mein Team sich auf die Vision und Strategie ausrichten kann, arbeiten wir mit OKR, also Objektives & Key Results. Zun?chst übersetzen wir die Vision in konkrete qualitative Ziele, die dann mit spezifischen Kriterien versehen werden. Diese Jahres-Objectives brechen wir dann auf die n?chsten 3 Monate runter, planen diese Etappe und führen regelm??ige Reviews und Retrospektiven durch. Damit stellen wir sicher als Team gemeinsam in die selbe Richtung zu ziehen. Wir überlegen gemeinsam welche n?chsten Schritte erforderlich sind und was wir dafür brauchen. Meine Aufgabe als Führungskraft ist dann die Organisation dieser Dinge und das Schaffen entsprechender Rahmenbedingungen - vom Coaching über Trainings hin zu Ressourcen.
My involvement in the recent CelcomDigi merger underscores the importance of not just involving, but aligning teams with a common vision and strategy. Ensuring roles, expectations, and goals are crystal clear becomes paramount, especially in the wake of significant industry shifts. Monitoring performance, addressing conflicts, and fostering growth are vital steps in maintaining focus, productivity, and efficiency within a team navigating through strategic transformations.
Before aligning the team it is important to understand individual strengths of each of the members. Super imposing the vision without clear articulation of individual contribution may not really help in achieving the desired end result. Once the strengths are identified, it is much easier to assign roles. Aligning tasks with individual strengths will maximize productivity and motivation. Recognition is one more important pillar while aligning towards the larger objective. Acknowledge and appreciate individual contributions toward the team's vision. While emphasis should always be on collective wisdom, individual efforts should never be ignored.
Hoshin Kanri - The process of Hoshin Kanri is in essence a simple and easy to understand methodology. However, many business managers lack the discipline for the "ritual" of implementation and ensuring execution is fulfilled in its entirety. Many have the tendency to skip steps, sacrificing planning at the expense of implementation, low discipline in process control, lack of a standard analysis methodology/ problem solving approaches. Also the "comfort" of some managers to monitor their processes via KPI's, team calls or their office, in the expense of going to the Gemba has led to misalignment, confusion, failure! If you do not have a strategically deployed vision, then simply....what are you doing?
The ultimate benefit of using your vision and strategy to strengthen team relationships is that you create a positive and collaborative team culture, where trust, respect, and communication are the norms. To leverage your vision and strategy to strengthen team relationships, you need to do the following: First, you need to model the behaviors and values that you want your team to adopt, and that reflect your vision and strategy. Second, you need to encourage and facilitate teamwork, collaboration, and innovation among your team members, and that leverage their diverse strengths and perspectives. Third, you need to foster a learning and feedback culture, where your team members can learn from each other, from their successes and failures, and from your feedback. Fourth, you need to build and maintain rapport and connection with your team members, and that show genuine interest, empathy, and appreciation for them. By leveraging your vision and strategy to strengthen team relationships, you enhance the morale, satisfaction, and retention of your team members, and you achieve your goals faster and better.
As a leader I encountered 3 main issues with leveraging vision and strategy to strengthen team relationships. 1) Goal Misalignment: Individuals may pursue personal objectives that clash with the team's vision. It is therefore important to personalize discussions to connect individual goals with the team's targets, enhancing alignment and engagement. 2) Change Resistance: Team members might resist new strategies as people tend to not like change. Involve them in the planning stages to cultivate ownership and ease the transition. 3) Communication Failures: Misunderstandings can erode trust so it is pivotal to implement consistent feedback loops and encourage open conversations to keep the team united and informed.
It all boils down to building a culture of co-creation and acting as its catalyst. Share a resilient and inclusive vision, get staff to align their goals with it, and model the behavior you want to see – active listening, constructive feedback, collaboration, etc. Regularly underscore that the success of the whole hinges on individual contributions so everyone understands how their work fits into the bigger picture. That said, a lack of trust can break any team, and many businesses have lopsided metrics. Despite countless performance indicators, there are few for trustworthiness. Companies that disregard it risk promoting toxicity, ignoring natural leaders who aren't the top performers but create an environment driving everyone to succeed.
Culture plays a good role. A culture of open communication is important, where people are able to express without fear or judgement, yet respectfully. This will be a foundation to build towards a strong team relationship effectively towards the vision & strategy in a happy and positive way.
Shared ownership of vision is critical. Team members will work hard to achieve a shared vision, that they feel their contribution to is critical for its success. This will naturally lead to stronger team relationships as everyone is working towards a clearly defined, shared vision.
Leveraging vision and strategy to strengthen team relationships involves transparent communication of the overarching goals and direction. A clear vision fosters a sense of shared purpose, aligning team members towards common objectives. Strategy implementation requires collaborative planning, ensuring everyone understands their role. Regular updates and feedback sessions create a culture of openness, building trust. By connecting individual contributions to the broader vision, team members feel a sense of significance, fostering cohesion and motivation. This approach not only enhances team dynamics but also reinforces commitment to the organization's long-term success.
Corporate Success Stories: Look at companies like Apple or Google. Steve Jobs' vision for Apple was not just about making computers; it was about making technology accessible and enjoyable for everyday people. This vision fostered a culture of innovation and excellence. Google’s vision to organize the world's information made it more than just a search engine company, creating an environment of continuous innovation and team collaboration. The Power of Storytelling: Using storytelling to communicate your vision can be a powerful tool. Stories help in making complex ideas simple and memorable. They can be based on real-life experiences, hypothetical scenarios, or historical events, and are effective in connecting with the team.
# DON'T FEAR TO EXPERIMENT SOMETHING NEW - When I became the student president, I encountered three major problems and devised a unique approach to solve them. * Earlier, we used to penalize latecomers by charging hefty fines, but it had no effect. So, we decided to punish the latecomers by making them run 5 rounds daily and it worked. * Morning assembly was boring, so we decided to mandate quizzes daily and the one answering rightly and quickly would be called upon to stage and get a chocolate and boom assemblies became interactive.
In my experience, if the team is comfortable and confident that your success as a leader is also theirs, you will find them onboarded in no time. When the team feels the involvement, they create a sense of accountability that will be key for the accomplishment in whole.
It's important to note that a strategy is a hypothesis on how you think you would win. Which means organisations need to continuously review the impact of their strategy to see if it actually works or requires correction. It's important to keep this entire process transparent so that the organisation collectively learns what hypothesis works vs fails to that they don't repeat testing the same hypothesis leading to resource wastage.
Less is more. Try to decrease the number of goals and objectives to max of 5, in order to secure your team buy-in and understanding. Try to decrease the number of slides that will be communicated to the team as well. If you develop too 5 goals for the company, then these can be trickled down further but limited to 5 as well and related 100% to the overall 5 goals of the organization.