As a business leader, it’s not enough for you to have a sense of vision—big ideas you’d like to bring to fruition. What’s really important is helping other people to see your vision, to rally behind it, to make it their own. And that can sometimes be easier said than done.
The Right Kind of Vision
With that said, there are a few things you can do to get more buy-in from your team—and the first step is making sure you have the right vision.
Consider that, if your vision is simply to make more money, that may prove a tough sell for your team—especially if they feel like they’re not going to get a piece of the pie.
A vision that’s self-serving is inherently hard to share, so try to situate your vision in something deeper and nobler. A vision about innovating, serving the community, empowering people, making the world a better place—those are the kinds of visions that people want to rally behind.
Understanding Your Team
Another important step is understanding what your team wants to accomplish—what’s ultimately important to them.
For instance, are your team members motivated by the desire to disrupt their industry? Do they want to make a difference in the world? Or are they simply interested in furthering their careers?
For them to embrace your vision, you have to make it their vision—and that begins with knowing what makes them tick.
Articulating a Common Goal
Once you have a good sense of your vision and your team’s priorities, the final step is to show them how the two align—and to do so through regular, robust communication.
Adopt a formal mission statement, clarifying what your company stands for. Articulate it to your team members regularly. Ask for their feedback—how they think the mission should be carried out. And, always make it clear how each individual employee contributes to the big picture. Allow them to understand their role within the broader context of your vision.