Transcript Chapter 2:

Introduction to Leadership
Concepts and Practice
Peter G. Northouse
Chapter 6:
Creating a Vision
© 2009 SAGE
What is a Vision?
Vision plays a major role in training &
development literature
Covey (1991) identifies vision as one of the
seven habits of highly effective people:
They “begin with the end in mind” & have a
deep understanding of their goals, values &
mission in life, which provides the basis for
everything else they do
What is a Vision?
Loehr and Schwartz (2001) stress that
people are a “mission-specific species” &
their goal should be to mobilize their sources
of energy to accomplish their intended
mission
Koezes and Posner’s (2003) Leadership
Practices Instrument identifies vision as one
of the five practices of exemplary leadership
What is a Vision?
Charismatic leaders create changes by linking
their values & vision to the self-concept of
followers
Vision is a mental model of an ideal future state “what could be”
Visions imply change & challenge people to reach a
higher standard of excellence, giving meaning &
purpose to people
Ideally it is created & shared by the leader &
members of the group or organization
Characteristics of a Vision
Research on visionary leadership
suggests visions have five characteristics
(Nanus, 1992; Zaccaro & Banks, 2001):
A picture
A change
Values
A map
A challenge
A Picture
A vision creates a picture of a future that is better
than the status quo - an abstraction about the
future that requires an act of faith by followers
It is an ideal picture of where an organization is going
It may be more productive, confirming, or inspiring
Ideally, this vision if of a time and place where the
common good is served
Sometimes a leader’s vision is clear, sometimes it is
only a general direction that gives a “bear bones”
notion of where they are leading others & the final
picture may not emerge for some time
A Change
Visions represent a change in the status
quo, a change toward something more
positive in the future
Change can take many forms, changes about
rules, procedures, goals, values, or rituals.
It is not uncommon for leaders to experience
resistance to their vision, and be accused of
“stirring up the pot”
Values
Advocating change within an organization
requires an understanding of one’s own
values, the values of others, and the values of
the organization
A vision that everyone in the company is
important places high value on human dignity
Similarly, if the vision suggests that everyone is
equal, they would be advocating for fairness and
justice as primary values
A Map
A vision provides people with the map to
guide them, to let them know when they
are on- or off-track
People feel a sense of certainty and
calmness when they know they are on
course, & a vision
Visions provide a guiding philosophy for
people which gives them meaning & purpose
A Map
A vision provides people with the map to
guide them, to let them know when they are
on- or off-track
When people know the overarching goals,
principles, & values of the organization, it
becomes easier for them to have an identity &
know where they fit within the organization
Seeing the larger purpose allows people to
appreciate their contributions to the
organization
A Challenge
Finally, a vision challenges others to
transcend the status quo to do something
to benefit others
Visions challenge people to commit themselves
to worthwhile causes
An example is John F. Kennedy’s “My fellow
Americans…” speech
An example of an organization with a clear
challenge component is the Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program
Articulating Vision
While it is important to have a vision, it is
equally important to be able to articulate
that vision to others
Leaders must adapt their vision to their
audience - they need to articulate their
visions so that they fit within others’ latitude
of acceptance
If the vision is too demanding & demands
too big a change, it will be rejected
Articulating Vision
While it is important to have a vision, it is
equally important to be able to articulate
that vision to others
Leaders need to highlight the intrinsic value
of their vision, emphasizing how the vision
presents ideals worth pursuing
By highlighting the values of the vision, it
allows individuals to find their work
worthwhile
Articulating Vision
Articulating a vision requires the right language,
words that are motivating & inspiring (Zaccaro &
Banks, 2001; Sashkin, 2004)
Words need to describe a vision that is affirming,
uplifting, and hopeful - like Martin Luther King Jr. &
JFK
Inspiring symbols abound - U of M 1997 football
team looked to Into Thin Air by Jonathan Krakauer,
utilizing the metaphor of climbing Mount Everest to
motivate them toward winning a national
championship
Implementing Vision
Implementing vision is true test of leader
The leader must model the attitudes, values, and
behaviors set forth in the vision - the leader must
be the living example of the ideals articulated in
the vision
When leaders are seen acting out the vision, it
builds credibility
Implementation requires a leader sets high
expectations for others
Setting challenging goals motivates people
This process doesn’t happen rapidly, but takes
continuous effort