Crafting a Vision Story: A Blueprint for Aspiring Leaders

“What is your vision?”

That is not an uncommon question to be asked as a leader, regardless of your level. Everyone can (and should) have a vision of what they want to accomplish in life, as a leader. Whether you are a Store Manager, District Manager, or aspiring to be one of those or more, having a vision of what success looks like for you is an excellent starting point. However, it is also not uncommon to get a fumbled answer or even a blank stare when the question, “what is your vision” is asked.

"Mission statements are short, oftentimes pithy descriptions of what you are shooting for.”

Visions are so much more than a sentence or two. A good vision will give a full description of who you are, what you aspire to do, how you will achieve that, and ultimately, what it looks like when everything is in place. Your vision is separate from your mission. They are interrelated, and missions should build on the vision you establish.

Vision 1 — We choose to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade.

Mission — build a rocket that will get us there and back safely.

Mission — test the rocket through a series of programs before placing humans onboard.

Let’s break down the components of a good vision script.

Who you are

The mindset for starting your thought process on “who you are” has to be future tense. This is really who you will become. You are looking forward. How do you want others to see you, that will ultimately define who you are? Visions do not need to have a defined end point, as you will always be working towards “who you are.” Framing this in the future tense and from a customer perspective will clarify it for your team and others about the aspirations you have for how you are defined.

What you do

In the clearest terms possible, define what it is you do for your team and your customers. Whether these are a series of bullet points or sentences, you want to be able to state what you do in a way that everyone understands. I would recommend beginning with a very concise statement to begin this portion of your vision story. Then expand and define that in the details that bring color to the statement. That first sentence should make it very evident, this is what we do and what it means to you. For example, GEICO insurance — saves you 15% or more on your insurance. They do this in many ways and what they do is much more than saving you money, but that defines what they do very clearly.

Why you do it

This is your purpose. Why do you do what you do? Simon Sinek says this best: “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” This is the glue that binds together the ‘whats’ and ‘hows’ in your vision story. This should also serve as a reminder for your internal team to always connect back to when reviewing projects and strategies that make up the work being done towards reaching your vision. “Why are we doing this” is always a valid and useful question to ask yourself when working on initiatives.

How you do it

In your vision story, you should provide as many relevant details about how you bring your business and vision to life in an everyday setting. Be descriptive. Tell the story behind the story. This is not the place to be concise. Rather, this is the opportunity to give examples of the steps and actions involved in making your vision a reality. How you deliver your vision is an internal message as much as anything else.

What it looks like when you are doing it

If your how is the internal action, this is the external realization of those activities. Again, be descriptive and detailed in explaining what your vision story looks like as it is coming to life from the perspective of the customer and/or end user. Connect to the emotions that come from the experience that your vision creates. As with your how, include examples of what they will feel, what they will see, what they will hear.

The great thing about having a vision story is that it doesn’t have to only be at the corporate level. Your company may or may not have a vision they have shared with you. That should not stop you from having a vision story for what you control. If you are a Store Manager, what is your vision story for your store? If you are a District Manager, what is your vision story for your district? It can be applied at any level and even for you as an individual. If you are an Assistant Manager aspiring to be a Store Manager or beyond, what is your personal vision story for your advancement?

Having a vision story that paints a vivid picture for the next three to five years and knowing that the story will continue beyond that is a must have for any business, and really any individual. Your vision story can always expand and add new chapters. The story goes on. Vision is often talked about, but not as commonly lived. It cannot be a sentence on a wall or a signature at the bottom of an email. It is a living thing that combines your collective behaviors, actions, culture, and outcome together into who really are, what you really do, and how you go about doing those things each day. Tell that story, your vision story.

How will you build your vision story for your business?

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1 The vision of placing a man on the moon was that of John F. Kennedy. That was certainly a subset of a larger vision he had for America at the time. In many ways, the goal of placing a man on the moon was a mission within his larger vision. that holds true for NASA as well. Landing a man on the moon was a mission within their greater vision. NASA’s vision is further reaching and ever expanding as you would expect from an agency that’s purpose (higher level to vision) to explore the universe and its full expanse. It doesn’t get any bigger than that.

As of 2014 - NASA's Vision leads to a future with an American-made launch capability supporting cutting-edge science, technology, and human exploration with strong technology and aeronautics programs. ... We will develop new technologies for use in air, space, and on the ground.