Harvard Business Review Leadership Library: The Executive Collection (12 Books)

6

Communicating the Change Vision

A great vision can serve a useful purpose even if it is understood by just a few key people. But the real power of a vision is unleashed only when most of those involved in an enterprise or activity have a common understanding of its goals and direction. That shared sense of a desirable future can help motivate and coordinate the kinds of actions that create transformations.

Gaining understanding and commitment to a new direction is never an easy task, especially in large enterprises. Smart people make mistakes here all the time, and outright failure is not uncommon, even in well-known firms. Managers undercommunicate, and often not by a small amount. Or they inadvertently send inconsistent messages. In either ...