The role of leadership in any organization, whether it be a board of directors at a large NGO, a corporation, or the manager of a small business, is to provide a future vision. Everything done within an organization should be in the context of achieving goals, both short- and long-term, and the leadership should develop those goals. Having employee input is highly valuable and necessary, but it is the vision of the leadership that ensures progress and improvement on a day-to-day basis.
Developing a Shared Plan
Everyone within an organization can be more effective if they understand a set of shared goals. Knowing how to achieve those goals requires planning. Even the word leadership implies that we’re going somewhere with someone who can lead - but does everyone understand where we’re going? Vision is what leaders use to develop a plan which they can communicate to the rest of the team, so everyone knows where they’re headed.
Seeing Today and Tomorrow
Vision can also ensure that the goals of an organization are realistic, based on the current state of the business and industry culture. A leader must be able to see the strengths of individuals as well as the group. They must also see weaknesses so they can be addressed and improved upon.
Clear vision means seeing a big picture and all the parts that make up the big picture. By understanding the way things work - or don’t work - a leader can make big decisions about how to move forward. Their vision should also enable them to encourage individuals towards goals that benefit the entire organization. Great leaders are able to see beyond what’s possible today and look toward what is possible in the future. They can also see the path that everyone must be on to get there.
