Before You Set Sail, Set a Vision!
The Importance of Goals and a Strong Vision Statement
This winter, in an attempt to escape the bitter cold, I set out on a Caribbean cruise. It was such a great experience that I will never forget, but the planning process actually took quite a bit of work. From choosing the right ship carrier to booking flights and accommodations, there was an extensive amount of planning all for one week of fun. But had I chose not to plan, would my trip have been successful?
From a tropical Caribbean vacation to operating a business, clear goal planning will help you reach your ultimate visions. In the case of my vacation, my vision was to have a fun and relaxing trip. Because I set obtainable goals (i.e. saving up money and finding reasonable flights) I was able to succeed.
I understand that the vision of a vacation has less significance than the vision of a business, but the same fundamental principles still apply. Working as a change management consultant, we recently used the weekly PM meeting to go around the room and restate the desired vision for the project. It was amazing to see how spirits were lifted when people reunited with their goals and remembered the reason why they were working so hard.
Having a strong vision is important and necessary for the following reasons:
- It sets the expectation for employees (new and old)
- It provides a benchmark for goal setting in order to reach the vision
- It provides guidelines into how business should be conducted
- It provides your clients with a set of standards for how you operate business (even if they have not met you yet)
- It helps define who you are in the marketplace
At Panorama Consulting Group, we stress the importance of setting goals for each individual. This provides employees, and their co-workers, clarity and accountability for their current role.
Whether it’s a vacation or a business, having a vision and setting goals to help you reach it, will provide you with the foundation for success.
Blog entry written by Jacqueline Gardner, a Senior ERP Consultant at Panorama Consulting Group.
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About The Consultants' Corner
The Consultants' Corner features blog entries direct from our ERP consultants. These ERP blog entries provide real-world examples of ERP software selection projects, ERP implementations, and organizational change management engagement. The Consultants' Corner bloggers include Larry Bell, Meghan Buchanan, Jeanne Hedman, Annel Henderson, Jason Henritze-Hoye, Sandy Kaufman, Steve Matthews, Ipsita Mitra, January Paulk and Brian Potts.
