How to Write a Worthy Vision for Your Small Business

The Story

Ultimately, if your vision inspires people in some way that they smile and light up in some way when they hear it, you’ve done it right. If not, then you have work to do!

Almost everyone makes this same mistake: after they’ve shared their vision once, they think, “Well, Not true. You have to share your vision constantly. Hold regular meetings about your company’s vision, as well as your company values, philosophy, mission, and objectives. Work these items into all your communications – your speeches, sales meetings, memos, newsletters, emails, and website. Include them in your e-mails. Put them in your orientation. 

Communicate them to all your stakeholders, including employees, investors, lenders, customers, vendors, community organizations – anyone and everyone who has any kind of stake in your organization.

All successful business ventures begin with a vision of how something could be and what the realization of this vision would accomplish. You’ll have to be clear in your mind how you propose to convert this vision into reality if you want to be taken seriously by potential investors, customers, and other stakeholders.

The vision of a business must be clearly stated in such a way that it offers optimism, inspiration, and encouragement to all stakeholders. It must reflect the business’s aim, purpose and says what it hopes to achieve but also that it intends to secure survival through stabilizing growth and profitability.

The vision statement says what the company hopes to achieve. A vision is an unusual discernment or foresight/sharpness of understanding. It’s a mental concept of a distinct or vivid kind - a highly imaginative scheme or anticipation.

The advantage of having a mission and vision statement is that the entrepreneur has a well-thought-out philosophy with which to lead the enterprise. 

Stephen Covey wrote: "Vision is the best manifestation of creative imagination and the primary motivation of human action. It’s the ability to see beyond our present reality, to create, to invent what does not yet exist, to become what we not yet are. It gives us the capacity to live out of our imagination instead of our memory."

Having a vision creates results. It affects the choices we make and the way we spend our time. If our vision is limited we tend to make choices based on the day-to-day operations of the business. When our vision is limited, we react to whatever’s urgent, short-term problems, our limited thoughts, and feelings or other people’s priorities.

If our vision is based on illusion, we make choices that will fail to create the results we expect. Our vision becomes meaningless and boring. We become disillusioned, perhaps cynical.

Having a strong vision, is the most important legacy we can leave. It becomes the primary force that drives everything else in your business. It empowers us to recognize what is really important, to put customers, and employees ahead of schedules and things. 

         "The key question is not ‘where do you see yourself, but ‘how will you get there?’

‘Attainable’ is the keyword, an attainable goal. The key question is not ‘where do you see yourself, but ‘how will you get there?’ The answer revolves around creative vision. Developing a precise vision of how you will bring your company into being. Vision inspires action.

A positive vision and attitude toward your business are also infectious. Your employees, partners, and any stakeholders become inspired too when you shared it with them. As a business owner, a visionary, you must share your goals with everyone who participates in your enterprise. In that way, they become a part of the dream.