1. Senge: Chapter 11 THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE
Shared Vision
Senge: Chapter 11
THE FIFTH DISCIPLINE

2. Introduction
SV is the answer to the question “What do we want to create?”
SV creates commitment, connectedness to those who hold it
Provides the focus and energy for learning
SV is subscribed to because it reflects the holder’s personal vision

3. Why Shared Visions Matter
Visionaries like Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Theodore Vail, Kennedy were able to articulate their visions in ways that galvanized people to join with them
SV uplifts people’s aspirations
Making the motorcar affordable by everyone
Accelerating learning through use of PC’s
Bringing the world into communication through telecommunication
Leaving footsteps on the Moon
Making the world accessible through travel

4. Why else do Shared Visions Matter
SVs are exhilarating, exciting, galvanizing
Allows people who mistrusted each other to work together
High-performing teams have a strong sense of shared vision and purpose according to Abraham Maslov
SVs compel courage--doing whatever is needed in pursuit of the vision
Learning organizations do not exist without SV

5. Learning Organizations and SV
Vision establishes the overarching goal
SV compels new ways of thinking and acting
SV provides a rudder for keeping the learning process on course

6. SV fosters risk-taking and experimentation
“You know what needs to be done, but you don’t know how to do it”
You are willing to experiment

7. SV fosters a long-term view
Japanese believe building a great organization is like growing a tree
It takes 25 to 50 years
Parents of young children try to lay a foundation of values and attitude that will serve an adult 20 years hence
Strategic planning tends to reflect more of the “short-term” than “long-term”
Corporate leaders are more immersed in the problems of today than the opportunities of tomorrow

8. The Discipline of Building SV
SV emerges from personal visions
People with a strong sense of personal direction can join together to create a powerful synergy toward what I/we truly want
PM is the bedrock for developing shared visions

9. Building Shared Visions, Continued
We can’t force people to develop personal visions
We can create a climate that encourages personal vision

10. We have to believe
We can create a differentiated B-school and one that is highly respected
We can lead with the best ideas, the best curriculum, the best faculty, etc..
We have to articulate our vision for being the best--what else is there?
Vision does not have to derive from the highest levels of the organization

11. What about top-down vision
doesn’t need to be communicated in a dictatorial hierarchical
Top management goes off to write its vision statement with the help of consultants
What comes back is disappointing, often a one-shot vision
Management assumes they have now discharged their visionary duties

12. Writing vision statements
Rarely makes a vision “come alive” within an organization
Does not build on people’s personal visions
The new official vision fails to foster energy and commitment or passion
Even among the top-management team who created it
Vision is not a solution to a problem

13. The Annual Planning Ritual
Creative strategies seldom emerge
Fail to nurture genuine vision
Sometimes shared visions just bubble up from nowhere

14. For leaders to build shared visions….
Must be willing to continually articulate their personal visions
Must be willing to ask “Will you follow me?”

15. DEC’s vision to become electronically integrated
networks would tie together all of the functions (areas)
The process of building shared vision is not always glamorous
A visionary leader is not one who gives inspiring speeches
He is one who uses is vision to make decisions every day

16. Shared visions emerge...
as a result of the interactions of individual visions
individuals feel free to express their dreams
individuals will listen to the dreams of other team members
Multiple visions must be allowed to coexist
Diversity of ideas is welcomed

17. Spreading Visions: Enrollment, Commitment and Compliance
Commitment is close to the heart of contemporary managers
90% of the time what passes for commitment is compliance
talk of getting subordinates to “buy into” the vision

18. Attitudes toward a vision
Commitment
Enrollment
Genuine compliance
Formal compliance
Grudging compliance
Non-compliance
Apathy

19. Guidelines for Enrollment and Commitment
Be enrolled yourself
Be on the level
Describe the vision as simply and honestly as you can
Let the other person choose
Your efforts to convince the other person will be seen as manipulative
Ultimately, there is nothing you can do to get another person to enroll or commit

20. Anchoring Vision in a Set of Governing Ideas
The vision must be consistent with the governing ideas
Governing ideas, answer the critical questions” “What?” “Why?” “How?”
Vision is the “What?”--the picture of the future we seek to create
Purpose or mission is the “Why?”--the organization’s answer to the question “Why do we exist?”

21. Anchoring Vision, Cont’d
Core values answer the question “How do we want to act, consistent with our mission, along the path toward achieving our vision?”
An org’s values might include integrity, openness, honesty, freedom, equal opportunity, leanness, merit or loyalty
ALL THREE GOVERNING IDEAS ANSWER THE QUESTION “What do we believe in?”

22. Relationships between Purpose, Vision, and Values
Visions make the purpose (mission) more concrete and tangible
Core values are necessary to help people with day-to-day decision making
Purpose is abstract, vision is long term
But core values must be translatable into concrete behaviors

23. Positive Vs. Negative Vision
“What do we want” is different from “What do we want to avoid?”
Negative visions are limiting because
negative energy is less motivating
carry a subtle message of powerlessness
they are inevitably short term
Org’s can be motivated by fear or by aspiration

24. Creative Tension and Commitment to the Truth
The most effective people are those who can hold their vision while remaining committed to seeing current reality clearly (the truth)