Vision & strategy explained simply

“If the vision is the dot on the horizon, then strategy is a path that could get you there.”

Everyone has a vision and a strategy; it’s not exclusive to a select few. The only difference lies in the substantial variances in the size and clarity of that vision among different people.

Vision and strategy are often mentioned together. This is probably because they are both high-level communication tools, which help guide a group of people towards a better outcome. They act as an anchor to keep you on track, in order to prevent you from getting sidetracked.

Let’s explore these topics to clarify them a little bit, as I believe these tools are essential for any leader at every level of an organisation. Ideally, every part of the organisation has its own vision & strategy which is in perfect alignment with the organisational vision & strategy.

What is a vision?

It’s the dot on the horizon. It’s the dream of what success means.

It’s the exercise of giving words to a dream. The thing you wish to happen in the ideal scenario when the organisation is successful. This dream can be very concrete or very vague or even pretty much unachievable.

When executed well, it allows other people to make your vision their own.

What is a purpose?

It’s the intention. It’s the reason for this organisation, this group, this department, or this thing to exist.

When executed well, it allows people to understand the intent of what you are doing.

What is a strategy?

It’s a path that will bring you closer to the dot on the horizon.

It’s the exercise of saying “No”. It’s as much about closing a door, as it is about opening another door. It is a way to prioritise A over B and why C should never happen.

When executed well, it allows other people to understand why things are happening or better yet it allows others to make decisions without consensus.

Also, don’t mistake a strategy for a plan.

What are accountabilities?

Things you need to do in order to achieve the strategy. It deals with daily operations in a self-adjusting way, it should be specific enough to drive for outcome. They usually begin with an -ing verb to convey that it’s an ongoing activity instead of an one-time project or action.

When executed well, it captures daily operations, in a self-improving manner, it’s clear what needs to be done on a daily basis, but leaves room for what isn’t specifically stated as well.

Conclusion

When explained in this way, you see that every founder has a vision & a strategy. Then comes the hard part: how clearly are you able to verbalize your vision & strategy in order to bring them across to others?

The Voys vision & strategy framework is small enough to be useful for organisations of any size, we’ll get hands on in the next post.

January 2024