FOLLOW THE LEAD
Effective leaders learn from example and experience. The following instances provide lessons and ideas for action:
Keep the vision simple and easy to remember. When Nike coined the phrase “just do it,” these three words motivated the company's own staff even as they challenged the world to engage.
Tie the vision to specific and obvious organizational values. In 1939, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started a business in a garage. Over time they created a way of doing business that came to be called the HP Way. It was an ideology of respect for the individual, affordable quality and reliability, and commitment to community responsibility.
One of the most important things any communicator ever learns is to design a message for the intended audience.
Build meaning by giving individuals a personal connection to the vision. Mary Kay saw a way to enrich the lives of women not just through offering women cosmetic products but also by making it possible for them to become entrepreneurs themselves.
Customize the benefits of the vision to each stakeholder group. Acknowledge the differences between groups while making connections that show how all the pieces of the organization allow the vision to become reality. The U.S. Army's former slogan, “Army of One,” appealed to the individual soldier's needs and desires, highlighting individual strengths while connecting the soldier to the larger army organization.
Make the vision attractive and motivating. Consider Google's mission of organizing the world's information and making it universally accessible and useful.
Walk the talk. CEO Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines took on the role of baggage carrier, flight attendant, and customer service agent a few times each year to stay abreast of the challenges his employees faced.
Make certain you demonstrate your belief in the vision. When former Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca approached the U.S. government seeking loans for a bailout, Congress was not impressed. But Iacocca had done his homework, and he argued that Chrysler's collapse would cost the country $2.75 billion in unemployment benefits alone. His speech persuaded Congress to lend the money. Iacocca cut his own salary to $1 a year as a testament to his vision that Chrysler could turn around.