Strengthen Your Leadership and Teams with the Vision, Intention, and Enable Framework
Imagine a team working together seamlessly, with constant communication and collaboration at its core. What would it take to create that kind of environment? It starts with a clear plan and the intention to see it through. Personal and team transformation can often seem complex, but it can be achieved using a simple framework: Vision, Intention, and Enable (VIE), adapted from Dallas Willard’s work in his book Renovation of the Heart. Originally introduced as Vision, Intention, and Means, this framework offers leaders a practical way to guide teams, achieve outcomes, and stay productive.
In leadership, frameworks provide clarity and direction, helping us focus on what truly matters. The VIE approach offers leaders a practical way to guide teams, achieve outcomes, and stay productive. This framework isn’t just for personal growth; it’s also essential for leaders and teams who want to create an environment built on trust, engagement, collaboration, and knowledge. Just as individuals must be intentional about their personal growth, so too must leaders be intentional about building their teams. Every leader should have a clear vision for who they want to be, what they do, why they do it, and how it can be achieved. By applying VIE, we can clarify our vision and move past simply ‘doing’ to leading with a strategy, plan, and intention.
Let’s explore each component a little further.
Vision: Start with Clarity and Purpose
“Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow.” — Seth Godin
Vision begins with a clear understanding of why something is desirable and what it will take to make it happen. Vision is the foundation of any successful team or initiative. It answers the question: “Where are we going?” A clear and compelling vision inspires and motivates your team, giving them a sense of purpose. Willard described vision as something that “grips” you. It must be so clear and desirable that it pulls you and your team forward. For leaders, this means painting a vivid picture of success. For example, you might set a vision of becoming the top-performing district in your company or creating an exceptional customer experience that sets your store apart.
To create a compelling vision, consider these steps:
Define what success looks like for your team.
Make it specific and measurable.
Communicate it regularly, ensuring everyone understands their role in achieving it.
When your vision connects to the team and they embrace it, it becomes the driving force, energizing everyone.
Intention: Commit to the Vision
Intention goes beyond a simple statement to define who you are, what you want to accomplish, and how you will get there. Intention is the conscious decision and initiation to bring that vision into reality. It is the moment when you move from “I hope this happens” to “I am making this happen.” Intention connects your ‘why’ to the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ and is what separates leading from merely managing.
To foster intention:
Set clear goals that align with your vision.
Make decisions that reflect your commitment to those goals.
Model intentionality through your own actions.
Committing to the vision with intention creates a sense of urgency and focus that drives progress.
Enable: Provide the Tools and Support
Finally, enable is how you bring that vision to life with the necessary plans, environment, tools, actions, and resources. Enabling is not just about giving people what they need; it is about removing barriers, offering guidance, and fostering a culture where success is possible.
Examples of enablement include:
Offering training programs to build necessary skills.
Implementing efficient systems and processes.
Providing regular feedback and coaching to keep your team on track.
Enablement requires thoughtful planning and consistent follow-through. Equipping your team with the right resources sets them up for success and reinforces your commitment to the vision.
Applying the Framework to Leadership
Vision, Intention, and Enable is a versatile framework that can be applied to various aspects of leadership. Whether you are launching a new initiative, improving team dynamics, or pursuing personal growth, this approach provides a clear path forward.
Imagine a leader who wants to create a better working environment and reduce employee turnover. Their vision might be to create a workplace culture where team members feel valued and engaged. Their Intention would involve setting goals to improve communication, recognition, and development opportunities. To enable this, they might implement regular feedback sessions, provide training for managers, and introduce a recognition program to celebrate team achievements. And most importantly, model the behaviors and expectations for everyone to see.
By aligning vision, intention, and enablement, leaders can drive meaningful change and achieve their desired outcomes.
Overcoming Challenges
As with any framework, challenges can (and will) arise. Common pitfalls include:
A vision that lacks clarity or fails to inspire.
Inconsistent commitment to the vision.
Insufficient resources or poorly executed enablement strategies.
To avoid or overcome these challenges, ensure you invest the time upfront to build the right approach. Ask outside partners to share ideas and brainstorm. Then regularly revisit your vision, evaluate your progress, and adjust your strategy as needed. Involve your team during each step of the process to ensure buy-in and address any obstacles they face.
Finally, ask yourself:
Is the vision clear and compelling?
Am I committing with intention?
Is the team enabled with the right support, tools, and resources?
This framework can be applied in any area of your life. It will take practice and some trial and error, but embrace that as part of developing the right approach for yourself and your team (if using this for a work effort). Start small by applying this framework to a single project or goal. Reflect on what works well and where adjustments are needed. Over time, you will find that Vision, Intention, and Enable become a natural part of your leadership approach, creating success for you and your team.
How would you see putting the VIE framework to use for yourself?
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