Leaders are often called “visionaries”. A powerful vision can motivate and excite employees and serve as a catalyst for intrinsic reward, such as a sense of satisfaction gained from the creation of a quality product or working as a team to achieve a goal. Research demonstrates that intrinsic reward is more effective than its extrinsic, “carrot and stick” type counterpart. According to an article by Louis Efron that appeared in “Forbes” on June 24, 2013, a lack of management vision is the main reason why employees abandon jobs and their managers as often as every one and a half years. But what if the vision is there but another component is not. A powerful vision is of no use if the holder of that vision is unable to communicate it effectively.
While possessing vision is critical to effective leadership, Stephen P. Robbins, author of “Organisational Behaviour”, writes that three other crucial skills are necessary to persuade others to share your perspective. The first is the ability to communicate a vision through written and oral means. Think of any great visionary and they are most likely effective communicators. Bill Clinton has a talent to break down a complex idea and explain it clearly and engagingly in a manner that a majority can understand. Ronald Reagan was coined “The Great Communicator”, Mark Twain blended humour and the English language in a way that rendered his visions timelessly facetious. Winston Churchill’s speeches are epic; Nelson Mandela’s quiet eloquence is strengthened by a lifelong conviction to his beliefs.
The second skill is the ability to lead and communicate by example or “walk the walk”. Hypocrisy has never garnered trust and respect to which many a chagrined politician or shamed religious leader can attest. Third, is the ability to extend the vision to different contexts so that it has meaning to all concerned. For example, a new technology needs to make sense to the shareholders, the engineers, the marketers, and to the IT staff who must work round the clock to ensure its installation.
A vision is one thing, but the ability to sell it is just as important.
Resources:
A Climate for Change (2009) Di Worrall
Accountability Leadership (2013) Di Worrall
Forbes: Six Reasons Your Best Employees Leave You
http://www.forbes.com/sites/louisefron/2013/06/24/six-reasons-your-best-employees-quit-you/
Stephen P. Robbins; Organisational Behaviour