Walt Disney is one of the great dreamers of the 20th century. Anyone capable of creating the first sound cartoon, the first color cartoon, and the first feature-length animated film is definitely a person with a vision. But the vision of his greatest masterpieces came from an unexpected place.
When Walt's two daughters were young, he would take them to an amusement park in the Los Angeles area on Saturday mornings. His daughters loved it, and so did he. An amusement park is a paradise for children, with a wonderful atmosphere:the smell of popcorn and cotton candy, the garish colors of billboards and the sound of children screaming as the roller coaster dives on a hill.
Walt was particularly captivated by the carousel. Approaching it, he saw a blur of bright images racing to the rhythm of the energetic music of the calliopes. But when he got closer and the carousel stopped, he could see that his eye had been tricked. He observed crummy horses with cracked and peeling paint. And he noticed that only the horses in the outer row were going up and down. The others were lifeless, bolted to the ground.
The designer's disappointment inspired him with a grandiose vision. In his mind he could see an amusement park where the illusion had not evaporated, where children and adults could enjoy a carnival atmosphere without the seediness that accompanies some traveling circuses or carnivals. His dream became Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Fleshing It Out
Vision is everything for a leader. It is absolutely essential. Why? Because the vision drives the leader. He paints the target. It ignites and fuels the fire within and pulls the leader forward. It is also the fire starter for those who follow this leader. Show me a leader with no vision, and I'll show you someone who's going nowhere. At best, it travels in circles.
To understand vision and how it is part of the life of a good leader, understand these things:
Vision begins within. Look within yourself. Take advantage of your natural gifts and desires. Look at your call if you know it.
The vision is based on your story. Talk to any leader and you'll likely discover key events from their past that helped create their vision.
The vision responds to the needs of others. True vision goes beyond what an individual can achieve. If it has value, it doesn't just include others – it adds value to them.
Vision helps you gather resources. A great vision attracts like a magnet.
To find the vision essential to leadership, one must become a good listener. You have to listen to many voices. There is the inner voice, which alludes to what you want to pursue and create from the depths of who you are and what you believe. There's your unhappy voice, talking to you when you notice this not working . Dissatisfaction with the status quo is a great catalyst for vision. The successful voice comes to you from the great mentors you can surround yourself with, people who emulate what you want and can help light the way. And finally, tapping into your higher voice requires you to look beyond yourself, even beyond your own life – this can mean deeper soul searching, meditation, or prayer to a higher power. .
Fortunately, you can improve your vision in a few measured steps. Consider the following:
Measure yourself. If you have already thought about your life vision and articulated it, measure how well you are achieving it. Talk to several key people, such as your spouse, a close friend or your best teammates and ask them to say what you think your vision is. If they can articulate it, then you're probably living it.
Write it. Writing down your vision gives you clarity. Once you have written it, assess whether it is worthy of your best. And then chase it with whatever you have.
Do a bowel check. If you haven't worked on the vision much, spend the next few weeks or months there. Consider what really affects your gut. What makes you cry? What makes you dream? What gives you energy?
Think about all the changes you would like to see in the world around you. What do you see that isn't, but could be? Once your ideas become clearer, write them down and talk to a mentor.
When you look down in your heart for a vision, what do you see? Your vision does not have to be extremely complex or detailed to be useful to you and your people. In fact, as author Larry Taylor summed it up, Walt Disney's vision for its parks was as simple as it gets:“No peeling paint. All horses jump. »
