Leaders and the importance of vision

1. Leaders and the importance of vision “It’s not what a vision is, but what a vision does.” Robert Fritz (Path of Least Resistance) Prepared for KTU students Randy Richards, St. Ambrose University

2. Three views of leaders on Visioning • Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus • James Kouzes and Barry Posner • Peter Senge

3. Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus • Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge • Attention Through Vision • Meaning Through Communication • Trust Through Positioning • Deployment of self

4. Attention Through Vision • A bridge to the future that is • Desirable, realistic, credible, attractive • Common enterprise • Why are we here? • What are we doing? • What difference do we make? • A guide to distinguish good from bad, important from trivial • Taps into emotional and spiritual energies

5. James Kouzes and Barry Posner • The Leadership Challenge • Challenge the Process • Inspire a Shared Vision • Enable Others to Act • Model the Way • Encourage the Heart

6. Inspire a Shared Vision • The Four Attributes of Vision • Future Orientation: Looking ahead • Destinations at least 3 to 5 years ahead • Desired by followers • Image: See the future • Visualize the end result • Images in our minds • Make these concrete • Ideal: A sense of possible, not the probable • Standards of excellence, expressions of optimism • Worth striving for • Uniqueness: Pride in being different • Differentiate us from others, make us distinctive

7. Peter Senge • The Fifth Discipline • Systems Thinking • Personal Mastery • Mental Models • Building a Shared Vision • Team Learning • Growing a learning organization • Special emphasis on “Shared” • Need for each to have a personal vision first • Ongoing conversational process

8. Building a Shared Vision • “It’s not what a vision is, but what a vision does.” Robert Fritz (Path of Least Resistance) • Moves us from current reality to an inspired future • Focuses our attention on mission, purpose and values • Uplifts peoples’ aspirations • Unites us in a common identity • Stimulates courage and innovation

9. Attitudes Toward A Vision • Apathy • Is it five o’clock yet? • Non-compliance • This sucks, you can’t make me do it. • Grudging compliance • This sucks, what’s the least I can do? • Formal compliance • Reporting for duty, sir. What do you want me to do? • Genuine compliance • Reporting for duty, ma’m, What can I do for you? • Enrollment • Let’s do it. How can we fit it in to what we do now? • Commitment • Let’s do it. What needs changed to make this a reality?

10. Vision, mission, purpose, value • A vision answers • What will success look like? • The pursuit of this image motivates peopleto work together. • A vision statement should be • Realistic and credible • Well articulated • Appropriate • Ambitious • Responsive to change. • Mission statement answers • Why does our organization exist? • What business are we in? • What values will guide us?