Earlier in the week I shared my own personal vision.  This morning I had the opportunity to share a future vision for a few of my team members.  It was a lot of fun to be able to discuss their current roles, their strengths and how those can be developed so they become even more effective leaders.

I started with strengths.

Recognizing their strengths and who they are formed the foundation for the conversation.  It is upon these strengths that the vision was created.  Each individual has unique gifts and abilities.  The fun part for me is to identify those, then look for ways in which they can be utilized.  How can they be magnified in the role?  How can these skills be honed even further?

Next I put them in context.

Putting these strengths in context of their job and the projects with which they have been challenged is key.  This allows them to be a stronger version of themselves.  It is really hard if not impossible to change who you are.  So why put forth effort to do so?  What a de-motivator to think that the only way to be successful would be to change who I am?  By putting the vision in context of the every day, it immediately becomes practical.  I can now work towards a future vision because it is just an extension of who I am and now an extension of what I am already working on.

Finally, I laid out the vision.

In a narrative form, or as close as I could get, I described what I believe they can become.  The narrative is so important!  This allows the listener to imagine themselves behaving in this new way.  It allows them to visualize.  Stories are much more interesting and captivating than lists.  No wonder presentations are often so boring.  We try to refine everything down into bullet points.  We somehow think that is what people want or the way to connect them with our message.  Sorry, for the little aside.

By conveying the vision in narrative form, it forces me to put myself in their shoes.  I see it from their perspective, in the first person, not just from the outside looking in.  They also can realize, maybe just subconsciously, that I am making at attempt to see it from their perspective as well.  A point of connection.  Making it much more believable.  Making it much more achievable.

One of the absolute best aspects of my job is to cast the vision for the company.  Thinking of the future state inspires me!  It challenges me!  It motivates me to come to work and make it happen each and every day!  By turning the vision casting effort towards individuals allows me to go through the same exercise many times over.  In many ways it is more rewarding, because these personal future states have direct, positive impact on people’s lives.  

That is making a difference!  One person at a time!