Over the next few weeks we will focus on one dimension of Principle Based Management at a time, including prompts for reflection, discussion, and application. There’s no singular right way to begin, but we hope that some of the following ideas will inspire you.
Vision: Everyone is capable of extraordinary things
“I want to show up to work every day and feel confident with how I spend my time. I want to find daily success that is deeply meaningful and in harmony with how our organization creates value for others.” This series will help you discover how applying the Vision dimension can give you the confidence and clarity to act entrepreneurially, using your gifts and passions to make the greatest contributions to your organization.
Here are 5 prompts to consider as you get started:
Consider this: Every conversation is a vision conversation
“It’s important to make sure we are focused on the ‘why’ behind what we are doing, and everybody is connected to the ‘why.’”
– Derek Johnson, Senior Vice President, Stand Together
For reflection: What clarifying conversations can you have to better guide your work?
Take one small step at a time: Focus on one principle to help you better apply the Vision dimension
Choose one that is most relevant to your current projects and responsibilities. Refer to page 23 of the PBM Booklet for a list of principles.
For reflection: Choose one principle and use it as a lens to view one decision you need to make or problem you need to solve. How would it change your approach?
Use vision to encourage entrepreneurship
“We each contribute to transformation when we entrepreneurially find new ways to advance the organization’s vision, applying our unique gifts and knowledge to solve problems and capture opportunities we see and have a passion for.”
For reflection: Are you using vision to tell people what to do or to empower them creatively to contribute?
Apply vision to any project
Doing vision work can sound daunting, but it is something we can all do. Pick a project that you want to breathe life into and ask these simple, vision-oriented questions:
- How does it create value for others?
- How does it help you advance your responsibilities? How is it helping you learn and grow?
- How does it help you advance the priorities of your team?
- After considering these questions, should it stay on or come off your list?
Learn from Catalysts
Watch these three short videos showing how this approach to vision helped ACTS Housing, a Catalyst partner, navigate change and guide their teams through transition.
For reflection: What do these examples unlock for you? How can you act on those insights?
