Is your business vision still working for you?
Evolving Business Vision: Adapting to Change and Innovation
Having a clear direction is important in business. Actually, I would go as far as to say it is essential! Unless your business is hobby (by which I mean, you don’t rely on it for your primary income), you need a clear plan of where you want your business to go.
When preparing your business vision, it should answer the following questions:
- Where do you want your business to be in the future?
- What is the purpose of your business?
- What impacts do you want your business to have on your customers, community, the world?
While simple enough questions, it is important to remember, that your vision should be more than just your goal for what your business will be in the future, it should set the tone of the business, and guide your decisions.
The process of writing your vision can be challenging for some businesses, often because the business/business owner doesn’t have clarity about key aspects of their business, like: What are the core values of your business? What is your business mission? What is the business culture you want to cultivate? What are you and your business’s goals? Where do you see the business in ten years’ time? Or, when preparing a vision statement becomes a marketing exercise, not a strategic business activity.
Clarity is the answer to every question
– Jenni Walke
Recently, I had a great discussion with some business owners at the Roar Success Conference in Queensland that highlighted how important having clarity about your business vision (and mission) is. We talked about preparing for awards nominations, which is a process often seen as paperwork but is a chance for deep reflection and growth.
The heart of this process is about gaining insights into your business, not just filling out forms. When you involve your team in this reflection, you can uncover both what’s working well and where you and your business can improve. Even if winning awards isn’t your focus, the process itself is incredibly valuable. It pushes you to look closely at your business from every angle, reinforcing your vision as the foundation of your strategy.
The key to this exercise, be it an award, grant application, tender responses and even your marketing campaigns, is ensuring the judges, evaluation panel and potential customers see the value in what you offer, your pricing makes sense, and your brand stands out. And all these aspects come from your vision.
When was the last time you looked at your vision?
A well-crafted vision acts as your business’s compass or north star that guides the business, and much like your business plan, your vision should not be static. When aligned to the business, your vision becomes a dynamic tool that can help you navigate changes in the market, advancements in technology, and shifts in what your customers want, and in my business, it also guides the decisions and choices I make.
Our Vision “To Create Impact” comes from a desire to facilitate transformative impact in our clients and empower communities and businesses to thrive through innovative and inclusive practices. And so, when I want to create a new offering, I consider, will the new product/service move us toward achieving our vision? When considering entering into a new market – we ask, does it align with the business vision? And when looking to work with a new partner – we ask, do they align with our values? Will this project / opportunity align with our mission?
Your vision should empower your team to come up with new ideas, take smart risks, and respond quickly to what customers need, all while staying true to your core values. Every time you are considering a major change or pivot in your business, like launching a new product, adjusting who you’re selling to, or changing prices, is an opportunity to check in to see if your decisions are still aligned with the vision. And if they are not, invites you to ask, “Is this decision/action right for the business?” and “Is the vision still serving us?”.
Having a clear vision for your business is not just about creating a fancy statement for your website and marketing. It’s about setting a clear intention and focus for the business and should be at the core of everything you do. Your vision shapes your company culture, guides how you make decisions, and ultimately sets your business up for long-term success.
Having a clear vision isn’t a luxury—it’s a strategic necessity for ensuring long-term success.
