When we are having our 1:1 Sessions with our Team members, one of the things, the guiding lights that you, as their coach, should know is “What is this individual’s Vision Statement?” Before you can even get to this discussion, it helps to be clear about your own vision statement. This vision statement can be relating to your business or career or it could be a personal vison Statement.
If you write down your vision statement, it can bring it to life. Many people think they understand their vision but when it gets right down to it, it is kind of a fuzzy concept without much clarity.
Being clear, having clarity as to your vision statement helps you and it helps those on your team when you are working with them to clarify their statement.
The first point is Clarity. You need to be clear about your statement.
Ask yourself What it is you really want to accomplish and How do you accomplish it? What is the vision of yourself this week, this month, this year and 3 years from now? Is it clear in your mind?
When you are working with your team member, you need to ask them if they can see it. Be prepared to ask them some descriptive questions so they can clarify it.
You then get to the next step- one that I call “Reality 101” If you are doing this vision statement development, you need to define what is my reality now?
Where am I currently at and what do I need to move from this point (where I am) to my vision of the future? Can I get there on my own, with my current resources or do I need to seek help and guidance from my coach? As their Coach, when you are doing this with your team members, it is good to understand what you need to do to help them move to this preferred vision that they have.
Finally, we need to make this vision compelling. When you are working on your own vision statement, you need to ask, “What are the ways and possibilities I have available to me to make my vision a reality”?
If you are working with a team member, you need to ask them What they see are possible ways for them to achieve their personal vision with clarity.
What is in it for you if you achieve this vision statement? What is the personal payoff? The answers to this are as varied as the people asking the questions.
The same can be said when you are exploring this with your team members. Ask them what they see that’s in it for them. Make it Compelling. It will help them to continue to move toward this vision even when things get tough…and they will.
What are the benefits to their family, their friends, their children? You know where I am going with this. If they want to expand the vision further, what is the effect on the company? What is the effect on their Social circle? What is the effect on their community…the world if they achieve this vision.
Set the vision clearly. Come up with the “Whys” and then help coach your team to achieve their vision. This improves communication between the coach and your team members. Improved communication improves engagement.
Engagement in what we do to improve the quality of our work and personal environments.