The techniques for communicating vision ensure your vision is succinct, is meaningful, and personally affects your followers. The goal of visual communication is to create a shared sense of vision throughout the organization. To achieve this, you must effectively communicate your genuine enthusiasm for the vision so that employees take in the vision and make it their own.
This is a difficult enough task if you, yourself, are fully on board with the vision. If you’re not totally on board with the vision, how can you communicate it sincerely? Creating and communicating vision is your primary responsibility as a business leader. Regardless of any doubts you have, once the direction has been decided, you must put those doubts away and help your organization move forward.
Techniques for communicating vision and how to use them are as follows:
- keep the message simple and clear – Your vision message should be easily expressed like a motto or slogan.
- personalize the message – If you’re in a big meeting, do your best to get out from behind the lectern and engage the audience directly.
- multiply the message –You could feature the vision message in personal presentations, written communications, company newsletters, annual meetings, advertising, marketing campaigns, and signs and plaques in public areas and offices.
- communicate your enthusiasm at every opportunity – The key to overcoming resistance is to keep talking, patiently and enthusiastically.
- get employees to take a personal interest in the vision, making the vision their own – Acknowledging employee feedback and input gives employees a sense of ownership of the vision.
- be authentic – Your presentations and messages need to be spontaneous, but that’s not to say you should just “wing it” when giving a presentation.
Understanding and applying the six basic vision communication techniques will help you be more effective in the important task of communicating the vision. You can apply the techniques in a number of ways, but all are rooted in your own passion as a leader. Because of that, their execution can be affected by your own attitude. You can’t denounce aspects of the vision you’re promoting. But, if you’re not fully on board with the vision, you must be as honest as possible and choose your language carefully.