Why This Executive Struggled Renewing His Vision Statement—And How We Fixed It

An Executive Director was tasked by his Board to create a new Vision Statement, but he wasn't naturally gifted with being a Visionary. The Board felt frustrated. The employees felt like they were wandering.

The pain point (and therefore solution) were found right there in his giftedness. Here’s how.

Context

I had coffee with an Executive Director of an educational non-profit this morning. He was under a deadline and wanted my help. He was just five days away from presenting a new Vision Statement to the Board. Yet, he had nothing! As we all do with something that's outside of our natural giftedness, he tried and failed once or twice, avoided it, then felt really confused.

In our meeting, he explained, “I’m too busy executing other tasks.” “I don’t really see why this is necessary since it’s more important to maintain our current activities.”

It wasn’t laziness or a lack of discipline. Far from it. The real reason? His giftedness.

Giftedness In Action: Why He Couldn’t See Through The Windshield

One of this Executive's "innate motivating factors" was execution and working through the reeds, turning the wheels of the car, keeping everything running smoothly. His natural motivation is to organize and optimize operations, not to ideate and cast vision. He struggles with looking far ahead through the windshield to read the signs coming ahead. Because of this, his organization had been operating without a clear vision for almost two years, and the effects were a lack of unity and enthusiasm.

Why is a clear Vision important for my numbers, anyway? Because without a clear vision, strategies get approved that go the wrong direction. You spend money on employee salaries doing work that conflicts with the direction of the organization, turning talent into lost revenue and invest in resources that aren't going to be needed.

This is a classic case of Blind Spots in Giftedness. So how do we address our Blind Spots, Temptations, or Weaknesses? There are always at least two options:

1. Get good enough at it to prevent problems
   

2. Partner with someone who has that Blind Spot, Temptation, or Weakness as a strength

   
   

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The Breakthrough Moment

I asked him if he’d be open to partnering with someone who thrives on vision-casting and strategic ideation. Not only did he say, “Yes,” but his entire posture relaxed. It was clear that this was the right move.

Instead of forcing himself to create a subpar Vision Statement under pressure, he would work with someone who naturally sees the future and can communicate it clearly. He needed someone who looks ahead through the windshield so he can keep the wheels moving efficiently. Gratefully, that person was myself this time around.

So we found the pain point -- so what then?

After we established the roles within our newfound partnership, I went to work.

Stage 1:

Through conversation over the remaining coffee I had left, I asked numerous questions revolving around his perspective on the following subjects:

1. What are his personal values & unique contribution?

2. What is the context of the organization (where have they been, where are they now)?

   
   

Stage 2:

I then planned a urgent Board meeting to establish our new Vision Statement. It followed this curriculum:

1. Dinner

2. Introduction: reviewing organizational history & their current need for new Vision

3. Giftedness Method on the Organization: on a whiteboard, I wrote down every high season in the organization's history as Board members spoke up around the room about them

4. We found patterns within their: structure, personnel, finances, and customers

5. We highlighted their strongest areas (this also revealed the weakest areas)

6. These "giftedness patterns" became their set of Core Values (there were four).

7. About those Core Values, we dreamt big and answered, "What would be the ultimate ideal manifestation of these Core Values?" This turned into a blurry vision.

8. We took those answers, beefed them up to a realistic ideal, and shazam! Their Vision Statement first draft naturally showed face.

   
   

In the following week, the first draft was sent to all Board Members and decision-makers for comment and it was approved that month.

The result?

• Vision Success.

• Efficiency.

• Enthusiasm.

• Unity.

• Saved time.

• No more money spent on strategies that didn't support the vision.

• Energy restored.

• The planning of a new Fundraiser gala to support the strategies for the vision.

Are You An Executive Who Needs A New Vision For Your Company?

You might be realizing that this is you or someone on your team.

It might not even be that you're struggling with Vision Statement, but perhaps project managing, personnel problems, or enthusiasm at work. This process very well might help you and I recommend giving it a try. I recommend casting the one on your executive team that is the most visionary to facilitate the curriculum.

Discovering your organization's giftedness will reveal where the pain point is.

Reach out to us here at The Giftedness Group® and gain a partner for your success.