Be sold on your vision. Or people will sell on you their “objections” to your offer. You must deepen your knowledge about the change you want to create and know also the alternatives known to people who wish to enroll in your vision.
What is vision?
Vision is your desired future for your organization. This vision is not yours alone. The most powerful vision is shared. It is bigger than you. People who share your vision will work on its fulfillment even when you are not around.
But simply desiring something isn’t a vision. They can just be wishes.
A vision is a new reality you can no longer live without.
If you want people to commit themselves to your vision, you must keep yourself sold.
How can we keep ourselves sold?
The problem with vision is that it is not always clear. Many organizations come up with vision statements that do not paint a clear and compelling picture.
For example, I once observed customer service training. When leaders were asked about their five-year vision, they talk about becoming the #1 Hospital in Bulacan.
Curious about the vision, I asked what they mean.
To them, being number 1 means earning more. They want to have more customers and have the best doctors who can cure diseases.
I asked if part of their dream is to be a hospital in a healthy community. They looked at me, puzzled.
How can we earn money if we are in a healthy community?
I was puzzled too. How can doctors not dream of a healthy community?
But that is their vision. And they want to make it happen.
I believe it is still possible to have a high-earning hospital in a healthy community. But as an observer, I was not there to tell them what I think.
In order for you to be sold to your vision, it must conform to your values. And there are other simple but powerful ways.
Arm yourself with knowledge.
I learned that the more you know about your industry, your business, and your people, your vision becomes more clear and more compelling.
I understand that some people dream about business success based on what they see others doing. For example, when I started my career outside of the academe, I wanted to become a motivational speaker.
I thought all I had to do was speak
Motivational speaking goes beyond the ability to deliver a great speech before a crowd. If you don’t know how to craft solutions, people will not get you. If you don’t know how to market yourself, you will remain invisible. If you don’t know how to create assets, you will not succeed.
You can keep yourself sold by developing your business acumen. You have to keep learning. The more you learn, the more your picture of the future becomes clear to you.
You will soon realize that you are not just imagining things. You will know that you will become successful.
When you arm yourself with knowledge, you can deliver what you promise. Success will keep you sold.
Define your differentiation.
Your differential is your reason for existing. Understand the advantage of your “change” against the alternative. Tell your story, then allow people to buy.
Keep yourself sold.
– Jef
