What Makes a Good Vision

A good vision emerges when the person envisioning it is in close touch with themselves, their life experiences, and their situation—when they dare to think, wish, and dream beyond the present.

When we sit back and daydream, drawing on our own “library of experiences,” a holistic form of knowledge kicks in—one that neurobiologists locate in the right frontal lobe of our brain. People speak of the self, of motivational structures, of an individual value system, or even of one’s own reward system.

A vision, therefore, has less to do with analysis and thinking; it has to do with activating one’s own system of motives and values. Consequently, a good vision is characterized by:

that it contains important, individual values

that it is never generalist in nature

that it is a vision of the future and therefore tends to be ambitious

that it evokes images or sensations

that it is experienced so vividly on the inside that it can also be shared and conveyed to others

that she is able to provide guidance

that it provides guidance, allowing practical everyday questions to be answered on their own

If you feel that, while there is a high level of motivation within your team or company, there isn’t enough “energy transfer,” then why not consider adopting a vision?