“Vision does not equal leadership.”
- A close friend of mine, who shall remain nameless for now, future attribution awaits him
You have to bet your last $5 on one of two companies. Company A has a great vision. Company B has a less clear vision but extraordinary leadership. Take your $5, borrow $10 more from your sister or the kids’ piggybank and put it all on B.
Vision, by buddy says, does not equal leadership.
Shark Tank pitchers pitch their vision. The best of the Sharks either dig deep into how the company will be led or take on leadership if there is a gap to protect their investment.
Leadership means compellingly carrying the vision to the team and making it real for the front-line workers, the middle managers, the department heads, and most importantly, the Clients or customers. Leadership means connecting every person in the team, the work that they do, and the vision.
Leadership creates meaningful rest stops along the way that celebrate progress.
Leadership means the REELAX model is in place. It means connecting the vision to verbs and overseeing the activation of those verbs. It means keeping individuals and their work connected to the vision.
Leadership is helping owners and CEOs or Boards of Directors know that when their expertise isn’t what’s needed, they can hold on to it and support the leaders while the leaders lead.
Vision is essential. Without leadership, it’s just a dream. Sometimes, you get a return on your $5 bet on a visionary, but usually, you’ve donated $5 to “The Visionary Pit of Broken Dreams.” You rarely lose when you bet your piggy bank on a visionary who surrounds himself or herself with leaders, gives them room and leeway to operate, points them to the vision, and then lets the leaders, well, lead!
Dan Thome says
Steve:
I generally agree, but……
There are visionaries who see the opportunity quicker, and build the beta version for a fair cost before the better capitalized, more operationally oriented (and staffed) come in and buy their entities, usually for large profits. Follow these visionaries and invest in them, albeit with risk capital. I’ll avoid names here but there are some good examples even in a supposed non-venture state like Wisconsin.
On Wisconsin !
Steve Heston says
Well said, Dan. The post’s perspective is on an operating entity, which no doubt was launched off someone’s vision. It’s not an either/or, rather a but/and consideration. You’ve always made me better, and today is another example. And, Go, Hawks!