By Scott Lowe
Vision
Vision is a compelling picture of the future you want to create. It inspires, unites, and directs both your personal leadership and your business strategy. It’s not just a statement on a wall—it’s your north star. When clarified and embraced, vision fuels momentum and aligns your team toward a shared future.
But how do you actually create that kind of vision?
Here are five practical ways to develop a bold, clear, and motivating vision for your company—with examples from companies that do it well (and one that missed the mark).
1. Reconnect with Purpose
Start by asking why your business exists beyond profit. What problem are you here to solve? Who are you serving? When your vision flows from purpose, it gains soul and substance. It becomes something people can rally around.
🔍 Example: Patagonia
Patagonia’s vision flows from its purpose: “We’re in business to save our home planet.” This bold, purpose-driven vision has shaped everything from their supply chain to their activism—and it deeply connects with their customers and employees.
Try this: Write a one-sentence purpose statement. Then imagine your company five years from now, fully living out that purpose. What do you see?
2. Imagine the Ideal Future
Vision begins with imagination. What would success look like if nothing held you back? Suspend the “how” for a moment and dream without limits.
Ask yourself:
- What kind of impact do we want to have?
- What do we want to be known for?
- What kind of culture do we want to build?
🔍 Example: Apple
Apple’s original vision was “to make a contribution to the world by making tools for the mind that advance humankind.”
Today, their vision is “to create the best products on earth, and to leave the world better than we found it.”
Both versions are bold, imaginative, and clearly aligned with their innovation-first identity.
Paint your own picture in vivid, tangible language. Think headlines, metaphors, or snapshots of a future day at your company.
3. Listen to Your People
Your team sees things you can’t. They often hold clues to what’s working, what’s missing, and what’s possible. Invite them into the vision process.
Host a conversation or send a short survey with questions like:
- What excites you most about where we’re headed?
- If we were wildly successful, what would that look like?
- What change do you want to be part of here?
🔍 Example: Netflix
Netflix actively involves employees in their culture and vision. Their famous Culture Deck wasn’t just top-down—it evolved through feedback, experimentation, and lived experience. The result? A vision and culture that attracts top talent and fosters innovation.
Involving your team builds ownership—and reveals a richer, more grounded vision.
4. Clarify Your Core Values
Vision without values can drift. Defining your core values gives your vision integrity and shape. They become the guardrails for how you pursue your future.
Ask:
- What values do we want to be known for?
- What behaviors will we celebrate or challenge?
- How will our values show up in daily decisions?
🔍 Example: Zappos
Zappos’ vision is built on delivering happiness, and their 10 core values—including “Create fun and a little weirdness” and “Be adventurous, creative, and open-minded”—guide every customer interaction and hiring decision.
Your vision is what you see; your values are how you’ll become that future.
5. Write It Down—and Speak It Often
A powerful vision doesn’t stay hidden in a notebook. It gets written, spoken, shared, and lived.
Craft a short, memorable vision statement that paints a clear picture of where you’re going. Then repeat it often—in meetings, hiring, strategic decisions, and celebrations.
🔍 Example: Microsoft
Microsoft’s vision is “to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.”
Under Satya Nadella’s leadership, this vision has become more than a slogan—it’s fueled their transformation from a legacy software company to a global leader in cloud computing, AI, and digital accessibility.
⚠️ A Missed Opportunity: Yahoo
At one point, Yahoo had multiple conflicting vision statements across departments. Without a unifying direction, the company lost focus, missed key innovation windows, and eventually lost relevance. A fuzzy or fragmented vision leads to fragmentation in execution.
Vision leaks unless it’s reinforced. But when it’s consistently communicated, it becomes a magnetic force pulling your company forward.
Your Vision Is Worth It
Creating vision takes courage, imagination, and intention. But the payoff is enormous: alignment, energy, clarity, and purpose.
If you’re ready to clarify your vision—or lead your team through the process—I’d love to help.
Let’s create a future worth running toward.
👉 [Work with me] or schedule a free clarity call at www.scott-lowe.com
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