Monday, January 04, 2010
Your 3-Year Vision Plan
Recently, I came across the concept of creating 3-year Vision Plan instead of just creating a list of goals for the upcoming year. This visioning is a more holistic way of looking at what you want in your life. It encompasses more than just business goals. It incorporates how I see my entire life – family, financial, spiritual, relationships, health, and education goals.
Looking at each area, and how they all work together, has made a huge positive impact on which tasks I work on daily. The excitement of accomplishment is restored because I can see forward movement. The interesting thing about visioning 3 years out comes after you do it regularly. I found that the 1 year goals now did not seem like a stretch.
The question you need to ask is: “What DO I want my life to look like in 3 years, if I had time to create it?” It gives you a different perspective on being present in THIS moment, and being excited about your journey 3 years from now.
So now each year, I create a 3-Year Vision Plan of what I want my business to look like. I write it in the present tense (as if its 3 years from now and the goals are complete). Goals are definitely important. But imagining the whole picture – everything you want your life to be – gives you an active role in your future.
What does this have to do with your leadership role? Plenty! You cannot lead simply from intellect. It skews the balance in all aspects of leading people. Not every team member will connect with you on a purely intellectual level. You need to connect through your mind, body, heart, and spirit. Your success depends on it.
MIND: Provide ways for you and your team to learn.
BODY: Provide different physical ways to increase thinking. For example, conduct brainstorming sessions with the group standing around flipcharts posted around the room; walking the mall with someone taking notes; take stretch breaks every few hours away from your desk.
HEART: Provide opportunities to connect empathetically – caring about the well being of each team member.
SPIRIT: Provide space to find your “voice” and inspire others to find their. (My thanks to Stephen Covey and his 8th Habit for this one!)
Your Simple Goal Setting Activity:
Sometime this week, create your 3-Year Vision Plan dated January 4, 2013.
Include:
• What do you envision for you and your team in January 2013?
• Write your Vision Plan by being very specific, realistic, and stretch yourself. Incorporate the Mind, Body, Heart, and Spirit into your Plan. Identify business areas for your team. Some examples: productivity, customer service, profitability, rework costs, employee turn-over rates, morale, quality assurance, vendor relations, expense reduction. Identify other areas for yourself. Such as family, fun, hobbies, community involvement, finances, church, relationships, health/wellness, professional development. Add as much as you need to as you see yourself living 3 years out.
• Record the measurables and tangibles so you can track your progress during the next 3 years.
• Write in the present tense – as if it were 3 years from now.
• Share your Vision with the team (at least their part in it). Better yet, get their input while you’re creating the Plan.
Until next time...Lead Like You Mean It!
Marjorie