Crafting a vision for the future CED 551

Where there is no vision, the people perish. - Proverbs 29:18

Vision Defined A vision is a cognitive image of the future which is positive enough to members so as to be motivating and elaborate enough to provide direction for future planning and goal setting. Thoms/Greenberger

Components of a vision A vision features a compelling picture or image A vision features a compelling picture or image A vision is feasible and attainable A vision is feasible and attainable A vision is connected to and articulates deeper values and hopes for the future A vision is connected to and articulates deeper values and hopes for the future A vision needs to be translated into actions and plans A vision needs to be translated into actions and plans A vision will die if not regularly communicated A vision will die if not regularly communicated NCREL Pathways to School Improvement

Why draft a vision? Helps define performance standards Helps define performance standards Inspires by providing focus and articulates over- arching goals Inspires by providing focus and articulates over- arching goals Guides decision making Guides decision making Establishes a framework for ethical behavior Establishes a framework for ethical behavior Guides thinking on strategic issues, especially during times of significant change Guides thinking on strategic issues, especially during times of significant change Estelle M é tayer, Vision with a Twist

Big Hairy Audacious Goal Clear and compelling Clear and compelling A catalyst for team spirit A catalyst for team spirit A clear finish line A clear finish line Tangible Tangible People get it right away People get it right away

Some corporate examples A phone in every room A phone in every room An affordable car for every family An affordable car for every family A network that allows an entire company to communicate A network that allows an entire company to communicate Number One or Number Two worldwide in our core business Number One or Number Two worldwide in our core business Bell Telephone Bell Telephone Ford Ford DEC DEC GE GE

More corporate examples Quantitative: Become a $25 million company by year 2000 Quantitative: Become a $25 million company by year 2000 Qualitative: Become the dominant player in commercial aircraft and bring the world to the jet age Qualitative: Become the dominant player in commercial aircraft and bring the world to the jet age Common enemy: Crush Adidas Common enemy: Crush AdidasWalmartBoeingNike

More corporate examples Role model: Become the Harvard of the West Role model: Become the Harvard of the West Transformational: Transform this company from a defense contractor into the best diversified high-tech company in the world Transformational: Transform this company from a defense contractor into the best diversified high-tech company in the world Stanford University Stanford University Rockwell Rockwell

The bottom line… In 1993, two Stanford business professors asked CEO’s of Fortune 500 and Inc. 100 companies to identify organizations they thought were “visionary.” In 1993, two Stanford business professors asked CEO’s of Fortune 500 and Inc. 100 companies to identify organizations they thought were “visionary.” The professors “invested” $1 into the 20 identified companies whenever the firm was first listed on the exchange The professors “invested” $1 into the 20 identified companies whenever the firm was first listed on the exchange The resulting performance was 55 times better than the average market! The resulting performance was 55 times better than the average market!

The bottom line… They next compared the same list to other companies that started in the same industry at about the same time They next compared the same list to other companies that started in the same industry at about the same time IBM  Burroughs Motorola  Zenith Disney  Columbia Performed 8 times better! Performed 8 times better!

The bottom line… What was the difference? Clearly articulated core values Clearly articulated core values An inherent mission – a reason for being that was always communicated and reinforced throughout all levels of the management and staff An inherent mission – a reason for being that was always communicated and reinforced throughout all levels of the management and staff

The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. - Theodore Hesburgh

Exercise 1 Learn from the masters Read the Stories with a Vision case studies Read the Stories with a Vision case studies Identify the personal vision in each case study Identify the personal vision in each case study

Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil. - James Allen

Vision – It reaches beyond the thing that is, into the conception of what can be. Imagination gives you the picture. Vision gives you the impulse to make the picture your own. - Robert Collier

Drafting your vision statement Create a mental image of an ideal future state Paint a picture of what you think a classroom or school will look like ten years from now. Paint a picture of what you think a classroom or school will look like ten years from now. Do not limit yourself because of funding or other day to day challenges. Do not limit yourself because of funding or other day to day challenges. Explore the real potentials of technology. Explore the real potentials of technology.

Drafting your vision statement Write your vision statement Your image statement should Set forth a description of desirable future that would be better than the present or the past Set forth a description of desirable future that would be better than the present or the past Be achievable in a reasonable amount of time Be achievable in a reasonable amount of time Take advantage of opportunities the future will afford Take advantage of opportunities the future will afford Howard D. Mehninger, School Reform in the Information Age

Exercise 2 Lights, action, camera… Create an opening scene for a movie about your ideal future vision Create an opening scene for a movie about your ideal future vision Imagine yourself walking into this ideal world Imagine yourself walking into this ideal world Describe the setting (look, feel, and sounds) Describe the setting (look, feel, and sounds) Describe how people are behaving and what is happening Describe how people are behaving and what is happening

A vision is not a vision unless it says yes to some ideas and no to others, inspires people and is a reason to get out of bed in the morning and come to work. - Gifford Pinchot, III

We might possess every technological resource... but if our language is inadequate, our vision remains formless, our thinking and feeling are still running in the old cycles, our process may be "revolutionary" but not transformative. - Andrienne Rich

The most pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has no vision. - Helen Keller