Often, company vision statements focus on internal goals: being the best, the biggest, or the most profitable. While these objectives have their place, they don’t inspire employees or customers in a meaningful way. What transformative companies understand is that a powerful vision isn't about dominance — it's about impact.
The key question: What should the world look like when you're done?
There’s a powerful shift that occurs when the heart of your vision is less about your company’s success and more about the world you want to create. It moves leaders away from incremental thinking and into bold, impactful ideas.
This approach forces companies to imagine what success means beyond shareholder value. How does your company improve the lives of customers, employees, and society? The most inspiring and innovative visions drive clarity and align all efforts toward a meaningful outcome.
Defining the impact of your vision
To define a compelling vision, imagine the world and how it is different after your company and teams have accomplished all they set out to do. Remember, this isn’t about how you are different – but in what ways the world has been impacted by the existence of your company, your leadership, and your teams.
To do this, it’s not enough to say, “it will be better, and more people will have what they need.” You need to get specific – very specific. To inform your vision, start by painting a detailed picture of the impact you’ve made, and what the world looks like once the aim of your company is complete:
- Who is changed in this world and how are they changed?
Describe these people in detail and think through entire scenarios of how people are different because of what your company and teams did in the world. - How are people interacting with one another differently?
Think in terms of quality, not quantity. Remember to be very specific. It can help to play out a couple of different scenarios. - What are people doing that they couldn’t do before?
How are they feeling that’s new and different from how they felt before? - How are people thinking about the world that’s new or different because of the impact of your company or teams?
Use these details to paint a broad picture of what you want your impact to be. Look across all your answers and derive your vision. It’s bigger than sales, bigger than functionality, and it’s even bigger than just your customers.
How a clear vision drives innovation
A transformative vision goes beyond inspiration and acts as a guiding force for decision-making, innovation, and collaboration.
- Aligning teams with a shared purpose: A clear vision unites employees under a common goal, helping them understand how their work contributes to a larger impact.
- Inspiring meaningful product development: When teams know what change they’re working toward, they are empowered to create solutions that directly contribute to that vision.
- Creating a North Star for strategy: Your vision provides a framework for making bold, strategic decisions that advance your purpose.
For example, Microsoft’s vision is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, which illuminates this approach. By focusing on empowerment rather than technology alone, Microsoft has developed products, services, and programs that enhance productivity, creativity, and accessibility. This clarity of purpose has shaped their products, from Office tools that enable collaboration to AI-driven solutions that support individuals and organizations in achieving more.
Bold vision = big impact
Ultimately, the most powerful visions don’t describe what your company does; they define what the world will become because your company and teams existed. Answering the question, "What should the world look like when you're done?" sets the stage for meaningful change and lasting impact.
By focusing your vision on the transformation that you want to create, you'll inspire teams, unlock creativity, and drive a powerful impact that extends far beyond your bottom line.
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