Vision - Where Are We Going?

Vision is a clear written statement of what your business will be when it is complete.  It is a detailed picture of the future – your vision of what your business will look like, act like, smell, taste, and feel like, and how it will perform when it is fully developed. 

Vision provides a sense of direction and goals – a target for the future. Motivation for you and your team – a dream to strive for.  It provides basis for decision making, planning, and business development activities.

Characteristics

• Products and services
• Organization size (annual sales, annual profits, number of employees) 
• Growth (sales, profits, production)
• Business Locations, Markets
• Market positioning, Target markets
• Basis of competition (price, quality, service, etc.)
• Basis of brand

Unique Characteristics

• Distinctive product/service lines
• Distinctive behavior of employees
• Distinctive presence (look, sound, feel)
• Distinctive culture and operations
• Other unique or distinctive characteristics

Vision is a clear written picture of your company’s future.  It’s a commitment to the future, not merely a wish. It has to serve your Values and Purpose or it won’t be real to you or your people.  This type of Vision Statement is not a one sentence statement or "BHAG," but a one to two paragraph picture of what your organization will tangibly look like in 3 years.

Testing Your Vision

• Can you see it?
• Is it bigger than you?
• Is it specific enough to elicit emotion, and fear?

• Does it engage your passion?
• Is it anchored in your past?
• It is not “Purpose” restated.