TL;DR: a quick summary for busy readers:
A strong vision isn’t about laminated posters or corporate buzzwords. It’s about answering one simple question: Where are we going, and why? When your team understands and believes in that answer, you get focus, motivation, and alignment. The best visions are simple, true to your story, and actually used day-to-day - as a compass for decisions, hiring, and motivation.
Read on for insight on why vision matters, how to approach this, real-world examples, and more.
The Secret to Getting Everyone Pulling in the Same Direction
Why vision matters (even if you think you’re too small for one)
The word “vision” often makes people roll their eyes. It can feel fluffy, or worse, corporate. But for me, vision is simply a clear answer to this:
Where are we going, and why?
If you can answer that in a way your team understands, believes in, and can act on, you’re in a strong place. If you can’t, things get messy. Priorities clash, morale dips, and people end up pulling in different directions.
I’m here to tell you - creating a vision doesn’t have to be complicated. You don’t need a three-day retreat or a 100-slide PowerPoint deck. You just need a real conversation.
Start with a conversation
Here’s where I always suggest starting: gather your leadership team for an hour or two. No jargon, no “corporate speak.” Just talk honestly. Ask questions like:
Why did we start this business in the first place?
What were we frustrated by in our industry?
What do customers actually thank us for?
What’s changed since we started — and what hasn’t?
Where do we want to be in five years?
How do we want people to describe us?
Listen for the stories and themes that come up again and again. That’s where your vision lives.
Real-world examples
Some of the best visions I’ve seen are incredibly simple:
A dog food company: “We want every dog to feel as good as ours did when we fixed his food.”
Lincoln Green pubs: “We want to make people happy.”
The Network Collective: “Your trusted guide through the evolving world of network and telecoms.”
What they all have in common isn’t polish or clever wording. It’s clarity. They’ve captured what they truly care about - and said it plainly.
Don’t overpolish it
This is where lots of businesses trip up. They take those great conversations and turn them into a “Vision Statement” that sounds like it was churned out by a jargon generator.
If your vision isn’t something you’d happily say out loud, it’s probably wrong.
Instead of: “We deliver integrated, customer-centric solutions across multiple verticals.”
Try: “We help small business owners feel less overwhelmed by tech.”
That’s the difference between something forgettable and something that actually guides your team.
How to use your vision
Once you’ve got a version that feels right, don’t stick it in a drawer. Use it. Here are some ways:
Prioritise: Ask, “Does this decision move us closer to our vision?”
Hire: Share it in job ads and interviews. Bring in people who get it.
Motivate: Remind your team why their work matters, especially on tough days.
Communicate: Share it with customers, partners, and suppliers.
The more you use your vision, the more powerful it becomes.
Final thoughts
A strong vision isn’t about buzzwords. It’s about honesty. It’s about saying clearly what you care about, where you’re going, and why it matters.
So gather your team. Ask the real questions. Listen more than you speak. And shape a vision that genuinely means something to you — and to them.
Because when everyone knows the destination, they’ll start pulling in the same direction.
If this resonates and you’d like support shaping or strengthening your vision, you’ll find details of my programmes, workshops, and coaching at waterfallhill.co.uk.
