What to Do When your Big Vision Meets Big Opposition

Jeff Weiner, the CEO of LinkedIn, posted an article titled, “The Three Qualities of People I Most Enjoy Working With.” The qualities Jeff enjoys most in people he works with are: dream big; get shit done; and know how to have fun. Since his blog has been read by nearly 600,000 readers, we can assume his topic and the qualities he enjoys most resonated with a lot of readers.

In the blog, Jeff writes that big visionary goals will always meet opposition and resistance from doubters. This comment is so true, and is the real test of how big a goal or vision really is. I have often said that visions are almost always reality statements, until someone questions if it can actually be done.

A vision is a clear mental picture of the outcome you are trying to achieve. Another way to describe your vision is that it clarifies and crystalizes the picture you have of your future destination. Your goals are the results or the outcomes you will need to achieve to turn the vision into a reality. Your strategic plan is the actions you will take to accomplish your goals.

When someone questions the legitimacy of a vision or a goal, they are actually telling you that they are uncomfortable putting this vision or goal on paper and being held accountable to the results. Either the vision is not seen as achievable, ever, or they do not know how to turn the vision and goals into a current reality.

There are two ways that you can reduce the tension and make people feel more comfortable about stated visions and goals. One way you can reduce the tension is to lower the vision and goals. Instead of saying, “Our goal is to be the nationally recognized industry leader,” you could say, “Our goal is to be a locally recognized industry leader.”

Lower visions and goals make people feel more comfortable, because the vision is more easily achievable. A second way to alleviate the uncomfortable feeling is to set goals and work hard on achieving the goals that take you closer to turning the vision into a reality.

Three years ago, we worked with a transit authority that set the goal of delivering stellar service and becoming nationally recognized. When the vision was created, several team members wanted to change the vision to “regionally recognized.” Today, they are recognized transit leaders; making presentations at national transit conventions, telling people about the innovative programs they have implemented.

Although there may be times we need to lower our annual goal, I don’t ever recommend lowering your vision. I am often quoted for saying, “Great leaders make people feel uncomfortable.” Great leaders create bigger visions and set higher goals. The logical outcome is you are going to encounter resistance from doubters and other team members who are uncomfortable with your lofty vision.

Here are 5 keys to building a great vision or setting goals that are guaranteed to create doubters and meet resistance:

Stay Focused on Strategy

Stay focused on only articulating the vision and not discussing the “how to” or planning the actions. Great visions are all about strategy. The minute that someone says, “That can’t be done,” they have moved out of a strategic discussion and into planning. One guarantee . . . action planning will kill great vision and goals every time. Create a great vision or goal that meets opposition and resistance. Then, in a separate meeting, put a plan together of what it would take to turn the vision or goal into a reality.

Stay Focused on Passion

Great vision and goals are tied to emotion and passion. Recently, while working with a financial institution, they stated their vision was to provide the financial means to teach customers how to turn their dreams into a reality. Some team members wanted to jump to planning by asking, “Wow could that be done, as some customers have poor credit?” Since we were not at the planning stage at this point of the discussion, the appropriate vision question to ask is, “If we were able to turn our customer’s dreams into a reality by providing them with the financial solutions, would that make you feel passionate and proud?” To this question, almost every team member responded yes.

Get comfortable feeling uncomfortable

When we help companies with strategic planning, we always give them one guarantee. In the process to formulate a great vision, you will become frustrated. In vision discussions, it is helpful to utilize an outside strategic planning expert. A facilitator who has expertise in strategic planning is well worth the investment. They can keep the group stay strategically focused by asking the right questions that will help the team end the session with a vision and goals that everyone will be proud of and motivated to turn into a reality. Too many strategic planning sessions end up with team members being angry and frustrated with the feeling that everyone wasted their time. If you don’t work through the frustration, there is a good chance your vision and goals will not be great. If you lower your vision to something everyone agrees upfront can be done, you have a reality statement that at best could be described as a “ho hummer.” A second reason to utilize a consultant is where Boards are involved in the strategic planning process. Boards love to skip over the hard strategic questions and jump into the operational planning which is not their job.

Hold Team Members Accountable

Once the vision and goals have been set, it will be critical for each team member responsible for turning the operational actions and goals into a reality to be held accountable. Execution will determine whether this strategic plan is a success or not.

Meet Often

Historically, strategic planning has been an annual event. With the pace of change occurring at a rate we have never seen before, most of our clients are holding an annual strategic planning session, but then following it up quarterly to ensure they are on track. If there are challenges or issues with accountability, course corrections can be implemented much sooner than waiting another year.

Great visions and goals will always meet resistance and encounter doubters. That is the test that validates that you have set an inspiring vision and a great goal. Follow the tips mentioned in this blog to dream and create a radial, inspiring vision, and win over even you biggest resisters!