What Dysfunctional Leaders Do: Lack Vision

This is article 2 in a series of articles on dysfunctional leadership characteristics.

In one of my previous positions, I had a vision. I had a vision, I shared it with my team, brought them on board. Brainstormed how to accomplish that vision, created goals, measured and continued to progress towards that vision. Until one day, that vision was taken away from me.  It was communicated to me that it would not be accomplished within the existing state of the organization.

This was a vision I had for over 10 years and had worked fervently towards. It drove my actions, it drove my beliefs, it drove my tasks, it drove my leadership. When my vision was taken away, I searched from above in my leadership hierarchy to grasp onto another vision that could direct my daily steps. But it wasn't there. I carried on for the next few months floundering, feeling like a ship lost at sea. I came to work every day with no purpose and no direction, and it was the ranked up there as one of the most miserable experiences of my life.

This leadership dysfunction is often not recognized as one that is all that important of a skill to focus on in leadership development. So for instance, if a technology company develops software, and a developer comes in everyday and codes software, many leaders believe this is good enough. They tell them what to do, and let them do it. However, when there is no larger vision tied to the work that is being completed, you take one of the most valuable human needs away from employees: purpose. When employees feel that they have a purpose, they are more engaged, more committed, more loyal, have a higher level of employee satisfaction, and produce better results.

It is not enough for leaders to come in each day and provide daily direction. This is analogous to living in the dark, not knowing what is around you and where you are going. Here are 5 common beliefs (or misconceptions) about vision:

1. Misconception 1: To have a vision you must be a "visionary". A visionary is often synonymous with those who work in the realm of the imagination. They imagine elaborate future states and operate a very specific quadrant of the brain. I truly believe it is a gift to be a visionary. Being a visionary is often deemed as a trait of a person that is very difficult to achieve. However, having a vision is quite different. This could be as simple as envisioning a clean, organized space in your home, or the type of home you would like to live in one day. Having a vision is being able to think about a future state, no matter how large or small that may be, that does not yet exist.
2. Misconception #2: A vision is synonymous with a dream. A dream implies that it may or may not happen one day. A vision should be achievable and realistic. A young girl may dream of being a princess. That is an amazing and common dream for a young girl, but it is not a vision. The reality is, the chances of her becoming a princess (that matches the image in her head - I clarify this because my husband calls me a princess daily) are very slim. One of the first tests you must give your "dream" in order for it to be a vision, is whether or not it is realistic for you, your team, or organization to achieve.
3. Misconception #3: A vision is for a future state that is FAR into the future. A vision does not have to be over a 10 to 20 year period of time. It could be a simple project that gets you to a future state that does not exist. Or it could be something that could take years or decades to create. You should not let time paralyze or bind our ability to create and have a vision.
4. Misconception #4: A vision is a very high level statement that is flexible enough to maneuver within it and use to my advantage. False. A vision should be clear and specific enough to action upon. It navigates anyone that is required to help achieve the vision, therefore it must provide clear focus and direction. It must also provide inspiration and energy to drive followers to want to adopt the vision as their own. When an employee is handed a project or task, there is significant value in the ability to relate it back to the vision of the organization or team, and if the vision is too vague for this, no match to drive their purpose occurs.
5. Misconception #5: A vision isn't critical in my ability to lead. But yes...yes it is. A leader must be able to not only chart the course and be the compass, but also tell employees where they are going. Employees thrive in this environment. Yes, you may be mediocre as a leader without a vision, but only will you soar and create a environment for your team to soar, when you have a clear vision to navigate them towards.

Do you have a vision for your organization, team, or even personal life? If so, analyze it based on these characteristics above and see if it is clear enough to drive direction, or is it a little blurry? If not, I urge you to spend some time developing a vision. If you are a mid-level manager and have no clear vision above you, develop your own. Create that vision for your team and your employees, and as a result, your leadership will improve and so will your results.