Leadership is a process that involves the vital skills of communication. A great vision that cannot be expressed in words, captured in a picture, and/or written down on paper, remains a cocooned idea never to be brought into reality. But communication of a vision is not always easy. Seeing a snapshot of a future reality is one thing; being able to communicate what you see is entirely another matter.
I think of John, one of the followers of Christ, on the island of Patmos. This old man is given the privilege of seeing God's plan unfold into the future – all the way to the end of human history. What an incredible vision! But he is given the task of writing it all down for the church. How does he record some of things he observes? Fifty years ago how would you describe cell phones, microwaves, fast food restaurants, credit cards, personal computers with windows, and email to people who have no knowledge of such technology and lifestyle?
Most of our visions are not so radical as John's or a 50 year jump into the age of technology, but every vision involves a picture of reality that no one has seen before. The challenge of leadership is to translate the vision into the common tongue of others. A vision, if leadership is to happen, must be shared. It must be understood, adopted and embraced by others. A shared vision among kindred spirits makes up the cornerstone of vision transformation.
A leader must be able to accurately, concisely and passionately communicate his/her vision. Although most visions are complex and involve many layers of thought and planning and detail, the foundations of a vision should be basic enough for a leader to articulate in a concise amount of time. Some have suggested that a leader should be able to be communicated his/her vision in time it takes for an elevator ride. Very few people will take an hour to initially hear your vision; but a 5-7 minute explanation, filled with excitement, anticipation, and enthusiasm will often catch the interested ear of intelligent individuals.
Develop your vision; write it out; revise it; practice saying it; refine it; look for opportunities to share it. Don't hide it; don't fear rejection; don't hesitate; don't wait until it is perfect.
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