CHAPTER 8Set Vision
Write down this vision; clearly inscribe it on tablets so one may easily read it.
Habakkuk 2, CSB
The battle against chaos starts with defining purpose. This chapter describes the basics of setting vision for any organization unit, whether at the enterprise or department level.
Setting vision is on everyone's leadership checklist. However, the result is often too vague to guide resource allocation in a way that gets results. A world with too many opportunities to pursue is just another form of chaos. The purpose of setting a clear vision is to bring focus to what problems you want to solve so that you can ignore the rest. As Michael Porter says, “The essence of strategy is deciding what not to do.”
The Bible is full of examples of the use of vision by leaders and God Himself. Vision aligns people around a shared purpose; the lack of vision causes chaos. Proverbs 29:18 states it this way: “When there's no vision, the people get out of control….”
One test of good visioning is that everyone understands the vision and relates their responsibilities to it. Another test is whether the vision provides the clarity for people to know how to invest their time. A clear path to increased chaos is “biting off more than you can chew.”
1. Start with the “Why”
People not only
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