A visionary who executes

Reflections:

As I explore at the start of the podcast vision is such a grand word.  We think of great organizational visions or Martin Luther King’s famous dream speech. But remember, visions can and must exist at every level.  The things you need to change, to deliver, to make happen are every bit as important and relevant.  To be effective in virtually every job we need to be thinking about the future, how we can improve things, build a better tomorrow.

Just as importantly we need a plan to achieve the vision, we need to execute that plan.  As Bill Gates points out, a vision without execution really is daydreaming.

Let me share the story of Olympic canoeist Joe Clarke, who I have had the privilege to work with.  In 2012, as he watched the London Olympics, Joe set himself a vision- to win gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.  A compelling vision, but pointless without a plan to achieve.  He also needed to be able to execute. Four years later, having diligently followed a rigorous training plan which required enormous focus and discipline, Joe stood on the podium in Rio, an Olympic gold medalist.  Over four long years he never lost sight of his vision.

It is unlikely your vision is going to be about winning gold medals, but it’s equally important.  Indeed as it’s likely to focus on a conservation improvement I would argue it’s even more important.

What’s your vision?

 

Kotter’s change model

 

An eight-step change process by John Kotter from the book “Leading Change”. That’s the academic text, but he has also written a fable, to demonstrate the eight steps in (for me) a more pleasing form. Titled “Our Iceberg Is Melting”, it tells the story through the eyes of a colony of penguins in Antarctica, facing the challenge of their iceberg home melting. Get hold of the book if you can – it’s a simple and engaging read, with lots of pictures of cute penguins…that really worked for me!

In summary, Kotter’s eight stage process looks like this:

  1. Reduce complacency and increase urgency
  2. Pull a team together to guide the needed change
  3. Create a vision and strategy
  4. Communicate the vision and strategy (by capturing hearts and minds, not through 144 power point slides!) Build understanding and buy-in.
  5.  Empower others to act, removing barriers so those who want to make the vision a reality can do so.
  6. Create some short-term wins
  7. Don’t let up, be relentless until the vision is a reality.
  8. Make the changes stick, because tradition dies a hard death.

One of the many things I love about this model is, creating the vision is only the third step in the chain. It is preceded by the need to create a sense of urgency and put together the right team to deliver the change. Mary completely understands the necessity of both of these first steps. If people have an insufficient sense of urgency they will not buy in to change and without the right team around her she cannot hope to make the change happen (or to execute it, in other words).

 

Great leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, communicate the vision and relentlessly drive it co completion.

Jack Welch

Vision without execution is daydreaming.

Bill Gates

If you focus hard enough on a goal anything is achievable

Joe Clarke, Olympic gold medalist

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