I spend most of my time with business owners and executives discussing where they want to go and how they are supposed to get there. I relate easily to these conversations, and I like to challenge the executives with ideas that will help them reach the goals they have outlined. From a quick chat and a few details, I can step right into their shoes and we are off running toward a plan.
How is this possible? What makes this so easy for me and many other executives? The truth is, some of us see the big picture, the vision, very clearly with very few details or facts being presented. It’s not a superpower, training program, or degree. It’s the way we’re wired.
Getting People to Follow the Vision
Visionary type individuals see things clearly in their heads. The good ones can explain the vision very well to anybody who will listen. The great ones can get people to listen, understand, and follow them wherever they are going.
This subject fascinates me. Look at Elon Musk. Tesla makes electric cars and Elon Musk created a company that has done electric cars better than any company so far. He also created SpaceX and pioneered the first reusable rocket. This is a huge accomplishment that makes space travel exponentially less expensive.
Why is this important to you and I … small business owners and executives?
Details Get in the Way of the Vision
Sometimes it’s hard for us to communicate the vision and it can be even harder for the people around us to understand. We don’t think much about details. In fact, the details get in the way of a good vision.
Details can be dream killers. So, what do we do? Give up because it’s too hard? No. We spend way more energy than we feel is necessary communicating. We communicate until the people around us are teasing us by repeating our vision.
In my research, I have found that the best visionary people use many different tools to spread the word about their vision. From an Information Technology perspective, there are more tools than ever to help a communicator, communicate, but there are details in getting the word out and the visionary is usually not a detail guy or gal.
What’s the secret then, to getting everyone to see the big picture?
Detail People Find the Vehicle for Communicating the Vision
We need detail people to handle the details and the detail people should be good at the technical stuff. Provide the detail people with good systems, and the results will come.
How do you find these good systems? Who puts them together?
Sit down with your Technology Advisor/CIO/CTO or IT provider and spit ball. The answer will be right there on the whiteboard. Once you are on the same page with the technical guys, there will most likely be an easy to use tool to get the word out.
