The first and arguably most important C would be Clarity. A vision should be written in its most simple form, with no intricate details and elaborate planning to draw the reader's attention away from the big picture. A vision should comprise of what you see when you close your eyes, the whole grand picturesque effect of a passion that is inside of you to make it happen. A vision should be simple so as to allow every person from the top down to the bottom of the organization to understand it, and grasp its meaning. There should not be various differing interpretations of the vision; otherwise the end product would not be what you are looking for.



Now let us move on to the second C. Your vision should inspire Change, perhaps not on as grand a scale as Alexander Graham Bell who invented the one device that changed the way the world communicated in 1876, but it should change the way existing models are working so as to warrant enough support for it to go through. Dr Martin Luther King once said of his vision, "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." Now, 38 years after his unfortunate assassination, his vision has become a reality. Look at how many blacks hold top jobs in organizations and governments around the world, not to mention America. His desire to provoke a change, starting with the integration of school children of all races into single schools, proved unpopular and was met with strong resistance but his belief in the vision he had and his ability to communicate it to all those who looked up to him proved telling in his vision becoming a reality.

This would bring me to my next C, Communication. A leader who is able to communicate his dream with optimism and at the same time, bring life and energy to minds and souls while doing it is more likely to succeed. When people realise the impact that your vision can have on them, their lives, their societies on a whole in a positive manner, the tendency is that they will embrace it and do their best to help you realise your vision. This can only occur when people gain synergy and excitement from working towards your vision. So make sure you incorporate these factors in communicating your vision to the masses so as to gain support for it!

You need to have a clear Picture in your mind when you start to define your vision into a form that is simple and easy to understand. Your audience must be able to picture what it looks like when it is achieved. The usage of metaphors and stories will enable you to get everyone to see what you are able to see in your mind. This in turn, will compel others to pay attention to how you plan to go about achieving it. When people in your organization gets as clear a picture as you have regarding your vision, and pool together their resources to help you achieve it, there is a much stronger likelihood that you would succeed don't you think?

Last but not least, a vision should be personified by the leader. The leader is the walking embodiment of the vision. Think about it, the vision originates from you, from a single thought in your mind that, coupled with desire and a steely determination to achieve it, finds it way into the minds of others through you. You have got to personify your vision; you have got to demand the best from others to work towards realizing the vision. However, all of these will not happen unless you demand the maximum from yourself first. Whatever that is you require others to do in the name of your vision, you should be the first to do it, and do it the best you can.

There you have it! The 5 essential qualities that make up a vision. Do you want your vision to be built on these principles as well? Look out for the last part of this series, where I will discuss how to combine your vision with your leadership skills to bring out the best in your endeavors, and show you how to incorporate the leadership qualities that is within you into your mastermind group.