Leading Through Personal Vision: Five Simple Steps

Have you ever worked for someone who wasn’t clear on who they were, what they stood for, or where they were leading you? This can be very confusing and demotivating. Developing a personal vision statement is critical for leaders because it provides a framework for decision making and creates a roadmap to move forward with intention and purpose. It also motivates and inspires those they lead. 

Personal vision is important for success and satisfaction. Studies consistently show that it is even more important than intelligence, socioeconomic background, or education; yet, so many leaders fail to define and articulate their personal vision. 

A refined personal vision statement helps a leader understand their best self and best work. It is a high-level snap shot that paints a picture of their ideal future encompassing their contributions, causes, beliefs, and legacy. Here are five simple steps to help you get started in creating your personal vision statement:

1. Establish Your Contribution by understanding the one achievement that must be completed in your life; and the most important input or bestowal that will come from your work. An example of this for your life might be to make sure your children are happy, well balanced, contributing members of society. Whereas, an example for your work might be to coach people so that they are better at what they do because of your involvement.
2. Define Your Cause by knowing where you are most dedicated and devoted.  Think about where your passions are and what brings value to your life. You can do this by answering some simple questions such as:  What are my most meaningful affiliations, activities, and bonds? What am I most committed to in my life? What makes me feel most alive?
3. Gain Clarity on Your Beliefs by culling through a list of many values and going through a process to determine which five to seven you hold most dear. This sounds easy but is difficult to do when deciding if values like respect are higher on your list than others like integrity or freedom.
4. Declare Your Legacy by knowing what you want to “leave behind” or continue as a result of being on this earth and working. This helps to understand the essence of your existence so that you can create a bridge by taking steps to move towards achieving your legacy. 
5. Articulate Your Personal Vison Statement by creating an 8 to 12-word headline statement, a series of bullets, or a brief written narrative that reflects the essence of your existence and best self by incorporating the revelations from steps 1-4 above. Visualizing your perfect life in the future (10, 15, or even 20 years out) is particularly helpful when crafting a vision statement. An example of a personal vision headline statement might be, “to fully live and love while positively contributing to others” or “to inspire people to be more than they thought they could be”.  When creating your statement keep in mind that:  1) it is an iterative process, one that should be re-evaluated from time to time and will evolve through your life; and 2) there is no red pen…the vision is yours and thus can only be critiqued by you.

Leaders with the self-awareness and drive to establish and evolve their personal vision are more likely to be most satisfied and successful over the long term. Knowing your vison and creating your “guiding light” statement for professional goals and decisions can help you cement your leadership and followership.