July 25, 2022
Good morning!
Gas prices have plummeted in the last few days, yet there are no headlines, no breaking news stories, no stickers, and no blame (credit) games.
What is it with that tangled ball of twine they found on Mars?
Could have come from my garage.
- Looking for a refreshing summer beverage?
- Try this: Muddle a bunch of fresh basil in the bottom of your favourite tall glas, add ice, add tasty lemon’s aid… sip and marvel at the deliciousness.
- Add more — or less — garden-fresh basil to taste… and/or experiment with other versions of Herb.
- Fresh ginger is nice, too — or added as a light zest.
- More than a century ago, Andrew Carnegie provided financial support and a sustainability plan for the construction and operation of more than 2,500 libraries worldwide.
- More than 1,600 of those libraries were built in the United States, one here in this town — sadly, now demolished.
- Andrew had a vision — and through leadership he transformed his vision into action and sustained it.
- Now, here is a perfect example of how YOUR vision needs to be refreshed and renewed from time to time.
- Carnegie’s 1883 vision — which became a shared vision the next half century for 2,509 communities — would probably not be relevant or appropriate today.
- So, what does that refreshed vision look like? Carnegie Today 2022 (Seven minutes… come back later if you don’t have time… worth it!)
- Here at Without A Vision Consultancy LLC we typically focus on the CEO because s/he is the one most responsible — and empowered — to lead.
- But, there are other key (essential) leaders in any organization.
- Those other key leaders can be innovators, collaborators, partners, and team members… OR, how dreadful, they can be very destructive negative influencers.
- Shout-out to a few awesome CFOs with whom I’ve worked: Kathi — Dave — Don — Benedict — Gordon — Marie — JIm…
- “The CFO can promote success by focusing on the following five (5) steps associated with objective-setting, metrics, and culture change. (Agrawal, Banholzer, Kutcher, 2022)
- “The innovation process is about allocating resources toward initiatives that create value for a company and, ideally, change an industry.” (Ibid.)
- Build innovation goals into the company’s plans for growth;
- Discover and validate untested assumptions about an innovation project;
- Speed up the standard budget process;
- Establish metrics specific to innovation projects;
- Upskill and empower the finance team.
- CFOs need to make it SAFE to innovate… CFOs need to make innovation fun… CFOs need to make innovation easy.
- Housing prices are up almost everywhere, worldwide. (McKinsey)
- The United States, on average, is up twenty-three percent (23%) Q4 2021 compared to Q4 2020.
- Where is it greater than in the U.S.? Turkey, New Zealand, and Australia, to name a few.
- Where are housing costs least affected by worldwide price increases?
- Mexico, Colombia, Italy, Finland, and Spain — all <5%.
- But, that’s just a one-year snapshot; we don’t yet have many of the 2022 data.
- “The task of the leader is to get his (her) people from where they are to where they have not been.” (Kissinger, 2022)
- “You think he’s angry now, wait ’til we win him over.” (Ted — Lasso)
- “Who am I to judge?” (Jorge Bergoglio)
- “Life is short, culture is long.” (Aborigines) — Very little is forever.
- Ever wish you had a better idea of where you were going — or when, or why, or how?
- On the topic of vision… since that’s what this Newsletter is all about:
- “You can’t outsource vision or passion — or for that matter, leadership.” (Andrew)
- “Without a vision the people perish.” (Habiger, Etc., et al.)
- “At every crossroads on the path that leads to the future, tradition has placed 10,000 (people) to guard the past.” (Nobel Laureate, Maeterlinck)
- “What if our best data are flawed?” (Dilbert/ Adams)
- “You can never plan the future by the past.” (A. Lincoln)
- Vision is a destination — a fixed point to which we focus all effort; strategy is a route, an adaptable path to get us to where we want to go.” (Sinek)
- “Vision is the capacity to see that which does not yet exist.” (Eades)
The Best Mission Statement Ever Written
- Probably the best mission statement ever written, way back in 1787:
- We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.
- How often do you suppose our leaders read this and, more importantly, reflect on it?!
- Clients often ask, “What is the difference between a mission and a vision? And why do you need one of each?
- A mission answers the question, Why do you exist?
- Your answer should contain both logical and emotional appeal, very briefly stated.
- A vision is an expression of awe, wonder, inspiration, focuis, possibilities, imagination, intentions, audacious goals… the best-possible outcomes relative to your mission; it draws others in like a black hole vortex or a powerful magnet while inviting them on your journey. It should result in vertical head nods and goosebumps — or tears of joy.
- “Vision is the reason we get out of bed each day to come to work.” (Samantha)
- A vision answers the question, “How are you going to become bigger, better, stronger, healthier, and happier?”
- The perfect shared vision should both excite you lots and scare you a little bit.
- A shared vision is the ultimate motivational and inspirational statement because your carefully chosen words perfectly articulate your message while inviting others to grab hold while making YOUR vision also their own.
- May our work, the work of this office — Without A Vision Consultancy LLC — always be focused on results directed toward the achievement of this vision.
- If you don’t enjoy spending quality time with just yourself, how do you expect others to enjoy the experience?
- A mission answers the question, Why do you exist?
