"Vision materializes when rhetoric is backed by action plans"

"Vision materializes when rhetoric is backed by action plans"

The most frequently used words in the corporate lexicon are probably Vision', Mission' and Core values'. Executives spend a great deal of time drafting and re-drafting the vision statements of the organization. Of course vision is highly important to give the organization a direction. But action in the right direction is equally important to realize the vision. If executives devote as much time to align action with vision, organizations benefit immensely.

We often hear the top management rave about the vision and mission statements of the organization while the existing strategies and practices nowhere match the rhetoric. Truly great companies focus more on the alignment process than creating logos, taglines and events to trumpet their vision. Without action vision remains just a dream. Vision articulates the purpose why the organization was created, the timeless values it upholds and also its future destination. Vision and action should be aligned in such a way that every action taken brings the organization a step closer to realizing its aspirations, reinforces the core values and reiterates its purpose. In most of the companies during the initial years there is a perfect congruence between vision and action. However over the years the executives get so busy with their departmental objectives, internal conflicts, turf wars and power politics that the overall vision tends to get overlooked. This dilution of purpose between their departments and also at various levels of management and operations makes it impossible for the organizations to accomplish their mission

The founders set up an organization with a vision in mind. This alone will not make it a visionary company. Truly visionary companies have an amazing ability to translate their vision into concrete mechanisms. These companies never lose track of their vision even several decades down the lane. Their vision contains no eloquent statements but it is based on simple to comprehend principles that can be spread across the organization. These principles underpin all strategies and tactics developed to realize the vision. The secret of success lies in maintaining a perfect balance between vision and action. How do they achieve this balance consistently over the years?

Weed out misalignments:The visionary companies make a constant effort to remove inconsistencies in action that blur the vision. Often inconsistencies emerge on account of certain ad hoc policies becoming institutionalized. Therefore they introspect at regular intervals to see if the practices and procedures adopted in the daily operations correspond to their core values.

Shared values:Vision should not remain a trump card in the hands of the top management alone. Vision gets transformed into reality only when every employee upholds the core values. Visionary companies take care to attract and retain employees who share their core values.

Walk the talk: Different companies have different core values. Some might have customer orientation as their central focus while others might uphold employee welfare as a core value. Some might value uncompromising quality yet others might give importance to innovation. Whatever may be the core value of a company it is important to bring it to life through compulsive reinforcements. Every rule, strategy and action should function to lend credence to the core values. Values are central to the vision attainment and therefore they should get clearly reflected in the actions. Suppose the management of a company incorporates innovation as its core value. It is not enough to include it in the vision statement or talk about it at every meeting. For innovation to really thrive and become the hallmark of the company employees should be allowed enough freedom to be creative, allocated enough funds to experiment and given lot of encouragement in the form of awards and rewards for creativity.

Firm vision, flexible action plans:Vision and core values are timeless. Visionary companies firmly hold to their vision and do not allow it to be rocked by winds of change. But action plans need a constant change. Clinging to the old institutionalized practices is not appropriate to reach the goals in an ever-changing environment. The destination remains the same but climatic changes necessitate embarking on a new route. This flexibility regarding strategies and tactics is the forte of visionary companies. It is a common practice for organizations to use the vision statement to galvanize and motivate employees in order to develop a passion for its realization. But it can be said with utmost certainty that the vision materializes only when the rhetoric is backed by definite action plans.

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