The Art of Shared Vision
Developing a vision for the future.
Anyone reading this Food For Thought article
has the vision to see the written words on these pages, the environment
in which we live and the people around us. Some of us might even have
20/20 vision or better. Maybe we have Eagle Eyes. In most cases, people
have the vision to see what is in front of them.
The challenge for all of us is to gain the courage to discover
a "vision" for our lives and for that of our community, our state, our
nation and the world that is beyond what we can currently see. A
vision that improves life for all of us, for the whole system. Although,
before I was born, the power of John F. Kennedy's vision to put a man
on the moon still lingers as one of the greatest visions of all time.
It was considered a crazy goal for many years, and then people of the
U.S. became enrolled in the vision and started believing, resulting in one
of the most memorable "shared visions" in modern times. The outcomes of
this shared vision include tremendous technological advancements that
have made our lives better and more productive. We continue to feel the
ripples from the success this shared vision generated.
How long has it been since you have been inspired and
motivated by a grand vision? A shared vision? Throw out the Rule Book.
All it does is support keeping you in the same place you have been in.
Think up a vision no one has ever thought of, a vision that will
positively affect the whole. Write it down. Post it. Get excited about
it. Refine it. Share it with family and friends. Start living it. Go
for the brass ring!
How do we learn to see beyond what is in front of us and
create a vision for the future? You know, a "Great Big Outrageous
Vision" that supports the "whole" not just the self. Only when we move
away from a life of mere existence for only "me" can we start to
harvest the wisdom to generate a "Great Big Outrageous Vision" that
inspires and motivates a better life for all.
The Six Nation Iroquois Confederacy lives by this vision. "In
every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the
next seven generations." Wow! To really take on the intensity of
Iroquois thinking, we need to be thinking over 150 years out into the
future. In all actuality, given the accelerated pace of technological
change, we really need to be thinking more like Leonardo DaVinci. That
is to be thinking an amazing 500 years out into the future.
Our world is getting smaller by the day. For any vision, be it
for a city, state or country, that vision requires us to think about
the generations ahead and how to enroll the local and global world into
our "Great Big Outrageous Vision." It is about creating a shared vision
that people can get excited about, one that enrolls the collective
whole of a community, city, state, nation and the world.
If any vision is going to take flight, it needs to become a "shared
vision." Creating a shared vision today takes courage. It has
to be a big vision, one that is capable of being achieved in a tangible
and meaningful way. It has to stretch the status quo with progress
clearly communicated. Any vision needs strong leadership to keep the
vision alive along the journey of ups and downs. People have to have
trust in the leadership and their ability to generate the energy and
talent to hold onto the vision and make it an integral part of their
decisions.
More than ever, communities, cities, states, nations and
countries are in need of "Great Big Outrageous Visions" that support
the whole and create a better life for all, not just a select few.
What "Great Big Outrageous Vision" is inside of you? It is
time to set it free. As Mark Twain said, "Twenty years from now you
will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the
things you did do. So throw off the bowlines! Sail away from the safe
harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, dream and
discover."
Author Bio: Sean
Griffin is a Business Thought Partner, Graphic Facilitator, Strategic
Planner, Business Development Leader and Creativity Columnist. You can
learn more about Sean at www.seangriffin.com or www.whatbox.info, or you
can reach him at skg@seangriffin.com or by phone at 918.787.5769.