Business owners, there is a dirty little secret that no one is going to tell you. And here it is. There is not a single person in your organization who gives a hoot about your Company Vision, at least not to the extent that you do. Even if your leadership team, employees, and other key stakeholders say they care about your business, your Vision, and your goals as if they were their own, they are all either fibbing or fooling themselves.
People just aren’t wired that way.
While your team may be amazing, hardworking, and success driven, they are not you. They don’t have any real skin in the business ownership game nor a “no-option-for-failure” commitment to achieving your goals. You as the business owner are truly the only one who has a fleshed-out Vision of where you want the company to be in three years, five years, ten years, and beyond.
While realizing this truth might feel like a bitter pill to swallow, I urge you instead to think of it as liberating and a huge opportunity! Your Company Vision is your chance to dream big and let others come along on your ride to success.
Top Tips to Achieving Your Company Vision
Don’t Worry About the How at First. Or at least don’t let a lack of “how” stop you in your tracks. You simply do not need to solve the “how” before you put your Vision out there. Once your Company Vision is defined and you have shared it, your key stakeholders (management, employees, vendors, board of directors, etc.) will help you figure out how to achieve it and the part they will play in doing so.
Give Your Team Ownership. Then trust them to do their job. It is important that your people understand the big picture, but then it is imperative that you get out of their way. Micromanagement is an innovation killer. Give your team the freedom to use their talent and leverage their drive to figure out how they are going to help you achieve your goals.
Too many business owners get lost in the tactics involved in achieving their Vision. You’ve heard it before. Analysis paralysis. If you are stuck in a loop of thinking and rethinking tactics all day every day, you will have a difficult time moving your business forward.
The same goes for your team. Too much noise can stop them in their tracks.
Hire for Your Deficits. Even the greatest business owner in the world isn’t fantastic at everything. So surround yourself with people who fill in your knowledge shortfalls and skill gaps. And not just those who are in leadership roles; your entire team should possess complementary, diverse talents.
By leveraging smart HR and hiring tactics, you can create a dynamic, forward-thinking, well-rounded team that is best suited to dynamically support your objectives and drive your Vision forward to fruition.
As a business owner, it is very challenging to have a team who is as truly invested in your Company Vision as you are. But by taking a smart, realistic, and holistic approach to achieving your goals, you will still get there – and all the wiser.
Blair Koch is the CEO of TAB Denver West, a TAB CEO Advisory Board Facilitator, and a Business Ownership Lifecycle Coach. Blair has spent most of her career helping small business owners achieve their personal and professional goals. She also hosts the Best Businesses in Denver podcast.
