This short book “is a breakthrough book that sets the foundations for a new school of thought”, according to Marshall Goldman, in the foreword. And, yes, the book is good: inspiring, practical and short! Its 12 chapters fall into four sections: Creation, Making Vision Strong, Execution and Visionary You. The author has interviewed 19 exceptional visionaries, and relevant quotes from these are given at appropriate places along the text. Even more clarity and authority are thereby added.
Before delving into a brief review of the book’s main messages, let me share with you a few key points about the author. Born and raised in a small town on the Kola Peninsula, northern Russia, Mr. Konovalov is a well-known business educator, consultant and coach, recognized as one of the top global thinkers when it comes to leadership, vision and culture. He is an in-demand speaker at major conferences worldwide. And Marshall Goldsmith stresses that modern leadership itself does indeed depend on a clear vision for long-term success.
Now to the book. Let us start with section one, Creation. Perhaps the most central proposition that the author makes is his assertion that a good vision looks at the present from the future’s perspective. The author identifies several so-called “defining purposes” here, among which curiosity. Specifically, curiosity regarding how we can do something better so as to find compelling reasons for changing ourselves, i.e., to strengthen one’s vision, above all by putting one’s mind into the future, trying to imagine it, for then to try to look back to the present, in order to attempt to figure out how to get there. A focus on the past, on the other hand, tends to distract. And to maintain a simplistic focus would be particularly important in this process. It is a common temptation to make things too complex. Simplicity, focus, and clarity inspires people to become supportive! And this might add a sense of purpose to those involved, steering them away from negativity and even hopelessness. Critical energy is thereby also released, and day-to-day boredom avoided. And, as already stated, a major hindrance that must be avoided might be that too many people tend to live in the past!
As George Bernard Shaw said, “imagination is the beginning of creation”. So, how are these “aha moments” that are so essential to good vision coming about? How does one create a reality that might change the future? Hard work is, of course, paramount, i.e., years of focused thinking. Listening, so as to learn, is critical here. Boldness in thinking is “it”! But one’s own ego must not be allowed to interfere. And there are of course risks that shall have to be accepted. In the end, it may come down to a lot of gut feeling.
The author identifies several potentially negative factors that might “derail” the visionary process, in addition to controlling one’s ego: lack of confidence, detachment from reality, as well as simply being too comfortable with the status quo, even lazy. So realistic visionary takes courage, humility and discipline. Excellence thus becomes key – anything less than a clear commitment to excellence might lead to an acceptance of mediocracy!
The author recommends the development of a so-called “knowledge bank” for fighting anti-visionary tendencies. He proposes a so-called CLICK check list for this: Courage, Learning, Inner excellence, and Confidence/Credibility. And the content in such knowledge banks should be shared by the team.
There is perhaps a slight break in the author’s logic here. The author stresses, rightfully in this reviewer’s opinion, that visionary tends to be a top-down process, carried out more or less alone by the leader. Team involvement, in contrast, is fundamentally bottom-up! But any top-down driven vision should also be understood in the bottom-up context of one’s team.
The next section discusses how to make one’s vision strong. A clear structure seems particularly important here. The author proposes six such criteria for structured visionary:
A strong stimulus, so that people might enjoy being involved! They must be stimulated to do this.
Scale, i.e., to come up with a vision that shall have sufficient breadth and depth, so that a vision’s impact might be ever-growing, in an ever-changing world.
Responsibility so as to develop a vision that is also relevant among a broader set of stakeholders, particularly the next generation.
Continuous scanning is necessary, so as to “see” what other people do not see. To have a good imagination when it comes to reading major changes is crucial; to identify opportunities is essential! A good vision points towards such opportunities.
Simplicity is of course important, as already discussed. Oscar Wilde said it: “I would have written you a short letter, but I only had time to write a long one”.
Excitement, passion. This is also important, and typically linked to going for a vision’s upside potentials. Emotional drive is key!
By now, the author shall have articulated six criteria for a good vision, and has suggested 3x6=18 control questions to check that a given vision seems to be “on track”.
As already stated, simplicity seems to be particularly crucial, especially to ensure that a vision can be realistically expected. Clear communication comes into the picture too. It goes without saying that this communication must be in a simple language, opening the minds and hearts of people.
What are some of the key features of an effective communication process? Listening, of course. This sets the tone for more realistic sharing with the rest of the team. While visioning is fundamentally a top-down process, as we have noted, a humble attitude, with listening rather than being arrogant, sets the scene for the sharing of a vision more broadly critical! But frequently, people are afraid to share. Why? People often think that good ideas may be “stolen”! The reality is different, however. Open debate typically tends to further improvements of ideas. People can indeed help when such sharing of information is a reality.
Such broad sharing typically also leads to the creation of a wide network of many ambassadors, largely promoting one’s vision. As the author says: “no force is stronger than people united by a common vision” (p. 96).
Part three of the book deals more specifically with Execution, i.e., how to align effective execution with one’s vision. Strong leadership seems important here, with a focus on empowering people, rather than on controlling them, often to extreme extents. Strong leaders connect people and go for results that would be shared broadly. A culture that focuses on people and not on the leader! People should feel the immediate benefits from a vision. An effective leader must of course have a strong will, to push for this. Clarity, commitment and coaching are primary words here. A shared vision is critical!
Quality seems vital. So-called “quality efforts” must be put into the implementation of visionary. And to develop appropriate metrics to gauge progress and to help identify what can be done better, in the pursuit of quality.
A clear growth element of a vision seems critical. And growth implies uncertainty. To seek uncertainty would thus typically be essential. A clear roadmap for change may alleviate common misperceptions of discomfort with uncertainty. But to quote Mark Twain, “the secret of getting ahead is staying ahead”.
One must be ready and willing to make decisions when such decisiveness is needed to contribute to a vision’s implementation. Indecisiveness might be a problem. The author points out that many organizations, particularly when having overly complex formal structures, may be weak when it comes to decisiveness. No-one likes to “stick out their neck”!
To enable effective decision-making so as to push towards the implantation of a vision is key. This entails discipline, freedom to act, and an openness to find new employees of choice. A capable leader allows the people in his or her organization to make timely decisions!
The author suggests a six-step model for checking that a good vision is in place, the so-called CAVIAR process:
Clarity in creating a vision, based on the implications from a clear view of the future, as seen now, in one’s present context.
Ability to make it a reality. This draws on the so-called CLICK self-assessment approach discussed earlier.
Viability of a vision. This, once more, draws on a scheme already introduced (stimulus, scale, spotlight, scanning, simplicity, excitement/passion).
Influence. This focuses on pursuing a clear, common language for communicating the vision, so that this vision might be deeply shared by many.
Acting. This is a matter of demonstrating strong leadership, through culture, strong will, clear communication, strive towards quality and enabling decision-making, above all by avoiding procrastination!
Revitalizing. The author repeatedly states that a vision dies if it does not grow. Thus, a strong commitment to growth is needed!
The author recommends that a CAVIAR type of reassessment of one’s vision should be undertaken regularly, so as to maintain a healthy tension between where one would want to be and where one actually is! This type of implied tension in a vision – between “today for today” and “today for the future” – is of critical importance.
The final part of the book deals with The Vision and You. This delineates a total of fifteen commandments and visionaries. In particular to talk solutions, not problems (optimism and positive thinking); charisma; courage; humility; simplicity; and open-mindedness. And visionaries are “todayists”, according to John Spence, which is different from futurists, who make forecasts regarding aspects of the future, virtually always wrong. Discipline is key to it all! This has to do with better understanding of why and how. Answers to these should reflect one’s goals and dreams, not one’s problems. This seems to be the essence of healthy visions, reflecting how we might want to position ourselves for the future, today. To articulate such a clear vision also ties to our responsibilities to future generations. It all comes down to what Harry S. Truman said, “it is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit”.
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