Your Vision will reflect your Core Convictions.

It will provide guidance about what Core Convictions to preserve and what future to work towards, even to your successors.

Creating your Vision can be one of the most challenging, yet rewarding exercises you go through as a businessperson. It will take much thought and time. You will need to do some soul searching to create something that is of value. When complete, your Vision will act as a magnet and will pull you forward, regardless of the day-to-day changes and crises that will occur.

Every company and every person needs a well conceived Vision.

Your Core Ideology is comprised of your Core Convictions and Core Purpose. •What are the essential tenets that make you who you are?•What do you stand for? •Why do you exist? •This belief system is not something that is learned or even created.

It is who you are – your core. Make sure you address your Core Convictions, as they truly exist, not how you want them to be. If you don’t, it will show that no one around you believes in you, including yourself. Your Convictions and Purpose are going to be an agent for guidance and inspiration to you and your team.

Your Vision begins with you addressing your

Core Ideology

This process includes creating a long-term Mt. Everest Goal and a Vivid Description of what the future of your business will look like. By going through this process you will have a target to aim for, as your business grows and changes. It will also allow you to communicate your Vision to those around you. After addressing your Core Convictions and Envisioned Future you are prepared to craft your Vision. By going through this process you will create a Vision that will serve as a guide to you throughout the years.

IMPORTANT RULE:This action plan is to be completed in an

environment that will allow for the highest probability of creativity and thought. We

recommend that you schedule one full day away from the office (park, mountains,

beach, stream, meadow, etc.). Go somewhere you will not be interrupted by

phones, pager, people, etc.

You will then move on to consider your Envisioned Future.

Core Ideology:Core Ideology:

Core Ideology defines the enduring Core Ideology defines the enduring character of an organization - a consistent character of an organization - a consistent identity that transcends product or market identity that transcends product or market life cycles, technological breakthroughs, life cycles, technological breakthroughs, management fads and individual leaders. management fads and individual leaders.

Your Vision begins with you addressing your Core Ideology

Core Ideology consists of two Core Ideology consists of two distinct parts: distinct parts:

1. Core Convictions: a system of guiding 1. Core Convictions: a system of guiding principles and tenetsprinciples and tenets

2. Core Purpose: the organization’s most 2. Core Purpose: the organization’s most fundamental reason for existence.fundamental reason for existence.

The authenticity, the discipline, and the consistency with which the Ideology is The authenticity, the discipline, and the consistency with which the Ideology is lived - not the content of the ideology - differentiates visionary companies from lived - not the content of the ideology - differentiates visionary companies from

the rest of the pack.the rest of the pack.

Core Convictions:Core Convictions:

• • Intrinsic: belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thingIntrinsic: belonging to the essential nature or constitution of a thing • • Define what we stand forDefine what we stand for• • Hold them even if they became a competitive disadvantageHold them even if they became a competitive disadvantage• • Only a few (three to five)Only a few (three to five)• • Pursue with relentless honestyPursue with relentless honesty• • Don’t ask what we should have, ask what Core Convictions we truly Don’t ask what we should have, ask what Core Convictions we truly

and passionately holdand passionately hold• • They must be authentic and “discovered” within the organizationThey must be authentic and “discovered” within the organization• • Don’t change in response to market changes - change markets to Don’t change in response to market changes - change markets to

remain true to Core Convictionsremain true to Core Convictions• • Even global organizations composed of people from widely diverse Even global organizations composed of people from widely diverse

cultures can identify a set of shared Core Convictions cultures can identify a set of shared Core Convictions

Ask yourself the following questions to determine your Core Ask yourself the following questions to determine your Core Convictions:Convictions:

• • Work from the individual to the organization - what Core Convictions Work from the individual to the organization - what Core Convictions do you personally bring to work?do you personally bring to work?

• • What would I tell my children are my Core Convictions?What would I tell my children are my Core Convictions?• • If you were to start a new organization tomorrow in a different line of If you were to start a new organization tomorrow in a different line of

work, what Core Convictions would you build into the new work, what Core Convictions would you build into the new organization regardless of its industry?organization regardless of its industry?

• • If you awoke tomorrow with enough money to retire, would you If you awoke tomorrow with enough money to retire, would you continue to live those Core Convictions?continue to live those Core Convictions?

• • If circumstances changed and penalized us for holding these Core If circumstances changed and penalized us for holding these Core Convictions would we still keep them?Convictions would we still keep them?

• • Can you envision them being as valid for you 20 years from now as Can you envision them being as valid for you 20 years from now as they are today?they are today?

• • Would you want to hold the Core Convictions, even if at some point Would you want to hold the Core Convictions, even if at some point one or more of them became a competitive disadvantage?one or more of them became a competitive disadvantage?

Create a list of Core ConvictionsCreate a list of Core Convictions

To identify the Core Convictions of To identify the Core Convictions of your business or organization, push your business or organization, push with relentless honesty to define with relentless honesty to define what Convictions are truly central. what Convictions are truly central.

Remember, Convictions must stand the test of time.

Create a list of Core Convictions

Core Purpose:Core Purpose:

• • Organization’s reason for beingOrganization’s reason for being• • Reflects people’s idealistic Reflects people’s idealistic

motivations for doing the company’s motivations for doing the company’s workwork

• • Captures the soul of your team’Captures the soul of your team’• • Who do we exist to serve, with what Who do we exist to serve, with what

and why?and why?

Ask yourself the following questions to determine your Ask yourself the following questions to determine your Core Purpose:Core Purpose:

Ask five whys. Ask five whys. • Start with descriptive statement: We deliver X services and Start with descriptive statement: We deliver X services and

then ask why that is important over and over Five times. then ask why that is important over and over Five times. After a few whys you’ll find that you’re getting down to the After a few whys you’ll find that you’re getting down to the fundamental purpose of the organization.fundamental purpose of the organization.

• Imagine you could sell the company to someone who would Imagine you could sell the company to someone who would pay a good price and would guarantee stable employment pay a good price and would guarantee stable employment for all employees at the same pay scale, but with no for all employees at the same pay scale, but with no guarantee that those jobs would be in the same industry. guarantee that those jobs would be in the same industry. Suppose the buyer plans to kill the company after the Suppose the buyer plans to kill the company after the purchase - its products or services would be discontinued, purchase - its products or services would be discontinued, its operations would be shut down. The company would its operations would be shut down. The company would utterly and completely cease to exist. Would you accept the utterly and completely cease to exist. Would you accept the offer? Why or why not? offer? Why or why not?

• What would be lost if the company ceased to exist? What would be lost if the company ceased to exist? • Why is it important that the company continues to exist? Why is it important that the company continues to exist? • If you awoke with enough money tomorrow to retire would If you awoke with enough money tomorrow to retire would

you still keep working here?you still keep working here?

Document your Core Purpose

Envisioned FutureEnvisioned Future The Envisioned Future consists of two The Envisioned Future consists of two

parts: parts: • A 5 year Mt. Everest goal, A 5 year Mt. Everest goal, • A Vivid Description of what it will be like A Vivid Description of what it will be like

to achieve the goal. to achieve the goal. • It is the mountain to be climbed. It is the mountain to be climbed. • It should be so exciting in its own right It should be so exciting in its own right

that it would continue to keep the that it would continue to keep the organization motivated even if the organization motivated even if the leaders who set the goal disappeared.leaders who set the goal disappeared.

5 year Mt. Everest Goal5 year Mt. Everest Goal•• Difference between merely having a goal Difference between merely having a goal

and becoming committed to a huge, and becoming committed to a huge, daunting challengedaunting challenge

• • Clear and compellingClear and compelling• • Serves as a unifying focal point of effortServes as a unifying focal point of effort• • Acts as a catalyst for team spiritActs as a catalyst for team spirit• • Has a clear finish line - your team can Has a clear finish line - your team can

know when it has achieved the goalknow when it has achieved the goal• • Tangible, energizing and highly focusedTangible, energizing and highly focused

Document your Mt. Everest Goal.

Vivid DescriptionVivid Description •A vibrant, engaging, and A vibrant, engaging, and

specific description of what it specific description of what it will be like to achieve your Mt. will be like to achieve your Mt. Everest Goal.Everest Goal.

• • Translating the Vision from Translating the Vision from words into pictures.words into pictures.

• • Passion, emotion and Passion, emotion and conviction are essential parts conviction are essential parts of the Vivid Description.of the Vivid Description.

Ask yourself the following Ask yourself the following questions to create your Vivid questions to create your Vivid

Description:Description:•• We’re sitting here in 10 years; what We’re sitting here in 10 years; what

would we love to see?would we love to see?• • What should this company look like?What should this company look like?• • What should it feel like to employees?What should it feel like to employees?• • What should it have achieved?What should it have achieved?• • If someone writes an article for a If someone writes an article for a

major business magazine about this major business magazine about this company in 10 years, what will it say?company in 10 years, what will it say?

Document you’re Vivid Description

Now take everything you have documented and craft your Vision. This

will be your guide.