Many companies have flashy mission and vision statements. Fewer have mission or vision statements that truly capture the spirit of the business or inspire proper action.
Likewise, some companies have identified their core values (but fewer have identified the values that truly represent the business and what it aspires to become) ... and even fewer have real actionable plans to get where they say they are going.
This is easily fixed!
Cameron Herold is famous for helping entrepreneurs and other organizational leaders translate their "Vivid Vision" into a complete and actionable roadmap for their companies.
He originally presented the Vivid Vision exercise in a chapter of his book, the Double Double.
The basic idea is that most entrepreneurs have an idea in their mind of what the company will look and feel like in the future (literally, a Vivid Vision), but that employees can't read their mind. The exercise translates those ideas into actionable direction.
Here is a short video of Cameron explaining the process.
It's a fun and useful exercise. Ultimately, you end up with a 4-5 page document. Here is an example of Cameron's Vivid Vision for himself. This can be used internally, for recruiting, and as a way to align with stakeholders.
He just released his fourth book (called "Vivid Vision") – and it goes into more detail on how to align your business around a shared vision of the future. It's terrific ... and surprisingly short.
And, if you want help generating or writing your vivid vision ... email Jennifer Hudye. She can write it from scratch or take your draft and make it “pop”. Tell her Howard sent you.
Cameron also has a podcast and offers some tools and exercises you can download.
