Vision- Leadership...Get Some

The power of creating a positive vision in your company is THE most important part of being. Most companies are quite good at telling their employees, customers and consumers what they will not do. We don’t allow returns; you can’t do it that way, and we won’t stand for inconsistency. The problem with these comments, though well intentioned, is that it actually communicates the exact opposite of what they’re trying to accomplish. The reason is not necessarily intended, it is a simple inconvenient detail about how our brains absorb information.

What words do you remember from that opening statement? What ideas stuck with you? For better or for worse, our brains can’t deal in negatives. We can’t tell someone not to think something. “Don’t think of the color yellow,” for example. We can’t do it. Our minds immediately go to the words and not the intention of the words.

When we tell our employees that, “we will not allow returns, and we will not tolerate inconsistency” those are the words we walk away with. Those are the things that we associate with how we deliver service, and think about how we “don’t” do certain things.

Leadership never defines itself, its cause or its vision by what it is not. Great leadership always tells us what it is, where we’re going or who we are. Kennedy didn’t tell us we’re not going to stay on the earth, he told us we’re going to the moon. The founding fathers didn’t define America as a country that would not subjugate, coerce or cause unhappiness. They said the country was founded to guarantee certain unalienable rights among those being life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Though the negative statement is technically accurate, it does not inspire. Negative looks backwards and positive looks forward. Vision, if it is to inspire, always looks forward.

Companies make the same mistake. It is amazing how many businesses define themselves by what they are not instead of who they are. Too many jump at the opportunity to tell you what they don’t do instead of what they do do. Meet a small creative agency, for example, and ask them what makes them better and they will tell you that they are not subject to the whims of a large holding company. Ask one retailer what makes them superior and they will tell you that they don’t treat their customers like numbers. Words like “don’t,” “aren’t,” “won’t,” “isn't” or “doesn't” do not belong in any statement that is supposed to tell people who you are or what makes you special or different.

If you want people to go where you’re going, if you want to inspire people, tell them what you believe, not what you don’t believe. Tell them what you do, not what you don’t do. Tell them who you are not who you’re not.

Leading with positive vision will create opportunity, open doors, and minds to creative thinking and doing. Vision is the power every company needs to grow and win hearts & minds of customers and consumers.

“The empires of the future are empires of the mind.”- Winston Churchill

“Destiny is not a matter of chance, but of choice. Not something to wish for, but to attain.” – William Jennings Bryan

“Big thinking precedes great achievement.” – Wilfred Peterson

“The future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.” -John Scully

“Where there is no vision the people perish.” – Proverbs 29:18

Look forward, tell those around you what you believe and where you want to go and you’ll be amazed how well your positive words will inspire those around you.