The Need for Shared Visions in Organizations

There are millions of small actions that occur within an organization every year and these are not always aligned to the core objectives of the organization. Sometimes this is because the organization has not defined who and what they are while at other times the employees have added work that isn't necessary. Having a shared vision and ensuring people know what that vision is can be helpful.

Consider a department with multiple supervisors. In their desire to show their importance and move up the ranks they add work and align work based on what their personal preferences are. This means that there are many people who are doing work that has almost nothing to do with the actual vision of the organization.

In order to reign in the wasted effort, which in some cases can be 40 to 60% of all work that is being completed, it is necessary to share that vision and ask that people truly review what they are doing and its value to the organization. Work is just work unless it has a positive outcome and does something to contribute to the organization.

Sometimes companies use time and motion studies while at other times they simple look at the required deliverables and activities. They remove those that are related to control and encourage those that foster the organizations goals. If done well a department can become more efficient and able to complete its mission.

Steps to Alignment:

1.) Define your mission.
2.) Share your mission.
3.) Align to the mission.
4.) Reward to the mission.
5.) Reevaluate work to the mission.