Vision begins with listening and ends with sharing. Everything in the middle is how we assemble what we hear into forms that make sense to others. This exercise assesses your understanding of your own perspective of the story of vision to reveal areas that need greater development.
Imagine how you would explain to a stranger each of the five factors for your organization. This description exists only when its members create an excellent product or service, not an average or lesser quality output.
The Change
What is the meaningful change that your group creates when it performs with excellence?
What is physically different in the world when members complete their work and provide it to a customer?
What is physically different in the customer's life?
The Worth
How does the change make the customer’s life better?
What value do customers find in the group’s work when they receive the excellent product or service?
What can they do or feel now that they did not before?
The Possibility
In what form does the product truly accomplish the change and worth? What relevant characteristics allow it to accomplish the worthwhile change?
In the past, what are specific examples of the group producing this level of excellence? Think of a single, specific story.
What characteristics occur within the group's combined processes when the product is excellent? How do members interact with each other to combine tasks?
How does the group work together to make this exemplary output, as compared to a low-performance day?
What is different in the feelings and behaviors of members that lead to high performance, as compared to when they are struggling?
Individual Contributions
(There will be multiple answers for these questions for specific roles or individuals.)
In what way does this person's individual contribution lead to (or prevent) excellence in the group's output?
What effect does the output of this individual's tasks have on the work of other group members?
What effect does this person’s process of performing work (and general emotional state) create in other members during their interactions?
Does this person's choices demonstrate that he or she knows the connection between his or her individual contribution and the group's success or failure?
Are both the group's possibility and the individual's contribution clear to this individual?
Your Belief
Do you believe that these people can be excellent?
Do you show the members of the group your belief through vulnerable moments?
Does expressing this belief feel uncomfortable for you?
Does this discomfort stop you from expressing your belief?
Excellence Exemplified
The answers to these questions describe the product or service when it captures everything that the customer could desire and perhaps more. This story captures the entirety of the customer’s interactions with your organization, from the time they recognize a need or want, through their use of the product, and into their life experiences after the change has occurred.
When the group accomplishes this goal, they exemplify excellence. This is the standard to which the members should strive in their individual tasks so that the combined product can accomplish the change and worth.
Can you visualize the customer’s journey when excellence is exemplified?
Can you tell the story of the group’s activities and efforts when they create this excellence?