I once worked with a company whose employees were busy—but lost.
The CEO kept saying, “We need to move faster! We need to innovate!” but when I asked the team what that meant, they shrugged.
“We’re just trying to keep up.”
They weren’t lazy. They weren’t unmotivated. They just didn’t know what winning looked like.
If the destination isn’t clear, how can you expect your team to get there?
Most leaders assume their vision is understood. But when I ask employees what success looks like in their company, they either give vague answers—or worse, completely different ones.
A vision that isn’t crystal clear doesn’t exist.
Here’s how to fix it.
Great leaders aren’t born—they’re built, habit by habit.
Get the Leadership Habits Series—real stories, 3 action steps, 2 mistakes to avoid, and 1 question to 10x your results. Delivered weekly. Free.
Say It So Clearly They Can’t Get It Wrong
Most company visions sound like a corporate buzzword generator:
“We strive to be a world-class provider of integrated solutions that foster innovation and drive synergy.”
What does that even mean?
If your team can’t repeat your vision in one sentence, without hesitation, it’s not clear enough.
↳ Make it simple. Your vision should be something a 12-year-old can understand. “We help businesses double their revenue without hiring more staff.”
↳ Make it specific. “We will become the top logistics provider in Southeast Asia by 2027.” Now people know what success looks like.
↳ Make it repeatable. A great vision is one people naturally say—not something they have to memorize.
Turn the Vision into Daily Decisions
A clear vision isn’t just a statement—it’s a filter for every decision.
A leadership team I worked with constantly debated whether they should expand into new markets. The problem?
They had no clear north star to guide them.
↳ Use the “Does this fit?” test. Every new project, hire, and investment should align with the vision. If it doesn’t, say no.
↳ Make it part of daily discussions. In meetings, ask: “How does this move us toward our vision?” If no one can answer, rethink the priority.
↳ Break it down into milestones. A five-year vision is overwhelming. What does success look like this quarter? This month? This week?
Make Every Employee See Themselves in the Vision
A vision that only leaders understand is useless.
I once asked a frontline employee how her job connected to her company’s mission. She laughed. “I don’t know. I just do my tasks.”
No wonder she wasn’t engaged.
↳ Tie every role to the vision. If your vision is “To become the most customer-centric company,” show customer service reps how their conversations make that happen.
↳ Celebrate progress. Don’t just talk about the vision—show how the team is moving toward it. “Last quarter, we improved response time by 20%—one step closer to being the fastest service provider in our industry.”
↳ Use “because.” Instead of saying, “We need to launch this product next month,” say, “We’re launching this product because it moves us toward our goal of being the leading software provider in Asia.” Context fuels motivation.
When the Vision Is Clear, Execution Becomes Obvious
Clarity makes everything easier. When your team knows exactly where they’re going, they move faster, make better decisions, and don’t waste time on distractions.
If your people aren’t delivering, start by asking: Is the vision truly clear?
If not, fix that first.
Want to Clear More Roadblocks for Your Team?
Lack of vision is one reason teams struggle. Another? Too much noise.
If meetings, emails, and distractions are getting in the way of high-impact work, read Cut Through the Noise: How Leaders Create Focused, High-Impact Teams next.
Because the best leaders don’t just demand results.
They make it easy to win.
