Is there really VISION without COMMUNICATION??

"If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around......

Similarly, if a leader has a "Vision" but doesn't (can't) communicate, is there really a vision?



Coaching is such a great job because of all the variety that the job brings. As a coach you have the opportunity to meet and talk with so many people and learn from such different sources. I'm fortunate to talk daily with business leaders, coaches, career coaches, ministers, managers and the list goes on. It's always interesting the topics tend to be very similar in all aspects of leadership. The following are some thoughts and questions from conversations with different people at different times but you can see how they likely apply to us daily.

While discussing these thoughts and questions, there were very few answers. And each question generally leads to another.

• I believe that without communication, there is no vision.
• Nothing is gained when a leader focuses and prepares their vision, if the vision isn't communicated to the people/ team/ staff that must carry out the vision.
• A vision is only as good as its execution.
• Leaders depend on their "team" to claim and seize the vision.
• There can be no sustained effort or intentionality if the team/ players, etc are unsure or unaware of critical elements of a leader's vision.
• A vision, a dominant aspiration can't be a "secret". But we often see a lack of communication and the process needed to execute is missing because the team/ staff, etc. is unaware of details, events, etc. that are part of the vision.
• The question becomes, "Why?"
  • Why isn't essential information about "vision" not communicated?
    • Lack of preparation?
    • Lack of clarity in the process?
    • Lack of trust?
    • Lack of competence?
• Is there Vision with poor communication?
  • Does the manner of the communication of a vision affect the vision of an organiztion?
  • Does the manner/ mode of communication affect the trust, loyalty and passion of a team's process of the vision?
• When staff, players, etc. are aware of a lack of communication what should be the process of correcting the issue? Who's responsibility does communication rest with?
• Is silence acceptance?
• A vision is more than a simple statement written for a policy and procedures manual. It must have an emotional attachment to drive a team, company, etc.
• Proper communication about a Vision generates enthusiasm and brings energy.  And poor communication will drain energy.
• Without proper communication about vision--a team, staff, etc. will tend to fill in the "gaps" with what they thought...As opposed to what really "is".  Which leads to a lack of clarity and another vicious cycle begins.
• We talk with our team about "clutter".  We define clutter as anything that we think about or deal with that doesn't take us closer to our vision.  If the vision isn't communicated clearly and intentionally--then everything we do can essentially become clutter.  Because it's not taking us to our "vision".
• General MaCarthur said, "Don't give orders that can be understood, give orders that can't be misunderstood."
• Without clear communication, we are certainly in jeopardy of giving orders that can be misunderstood.
• I don't believe that, "less is more" when it involves the clarity and intentionality of a vision of a team.
• It's the trust, faith, clarity and intentionality of a vision that drives teams to greatness.

Characteristics of Being Reactive & Living In Circumstnace

We talk a great deal to our team about being PROACTIVE in their lives--in the classroom, with the trainer, with their skills, nutrition, etc. Too often, we are all guilty of living in circumstance and not in Vision.

Listed below are some actions/ attitudes and thoughts of being Reactive:

• Reactive players/ followers respond after the fact to whatever life throws at you.
• Reactive people live their lives as a function of other people's weaknesses or circumstances that they believe they have little control over.
• Reactive people waste their precious time because they focus on the items they can't control.
• All things are created twice: First in the mind, then physically. Until our thoughts grow, out actions can't grow.

Leadership & Vision

• Management of attention through vision is the creating of focus.
• Intensity coupled with commitment is magnetic.
• Vision grabs.
• Initially it grabs the leader and management of attention enables others also to get on the bandwagon.
• Coaches need unbridled clarity about what they want from their players.
• Vision needs to bring about a confidence of the followers.

Edwin H. Land, founder Polaroid
"The first thing you naturally do is teach the person to feel that the undertaking is manifestly important..."

Vision animates, inspirits, and transforms purpose into action.

Developing Vision

Developing Vision The first step in creating an improved future is developing the ability to envision it (See the picture)

1. Vision will ignite the fire of passion, which fuels our commitment to do whatever it takes to achieve excellence.
2. Vision allows us to transform dreams of greatness into the reality of achievement through human action.
3. Vision has no boundaries and knows no limits. Our vision is what we become in life.

We have to have a clear view of what success is, what it isn’t and what it will take to achieve it.

Delivering Your Message

“If you don’t want to play in the championship games and you don’t want to achieve at the highest level, then I don’t want you here, because that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m not trying to finish fourth. Leaders must deliver their message to each member as an individual. --Bill Parcells

Process Oriented Thinking & Fear--Vision

We continue to work daily on our Process oriented thinking. We truly believe that we must work just as hard, if not harder, developing our player's mental skills as their physical skills.

We have noticed the words,"fear, afraid, failure" etc come up in conversations. Afraid of failure, afraid of letting others down, etc. So how then, can we make a fear of failure work work as a strength.

Dr. Kevin Elko has the following suggestions:

Fear is an Acronym:
False Evidence Appearing Real

If you hold onto fear, then that worrisome, awful vision is clearly and consistently established in your mind and it will occur--because you have made it so.

A vision isn't a vision until it is tested. Make your vision last longer than your fear.

Do not surrender to the greatest temptation--Self pity. With self pity you are not thinking something is just hard but rather that something is too hard. It is beyond you; it is more than you can handle.

To accomplish the seemingly impossible:
1. Thinking it
2. Speaking it
3. Acting it