The Vision of the Organization and Motivation - Assignment Example

How well the leaders of an organisation communicate the vision of the organisation to motivate and inspire staff to help them buy into the organisation’s strategic objectives. Table of Contents Introduction 2 Aims and objectives 2 Importance of vision 2 Critical review 3 How well the leaders of an organisation communicate the vision of the organisation to motivate and inspire staff to help them buy into the organisation’s strategic objectives. Introduction It is highly important to communicate the vision of an organization to the employees in order to motivate them and to inspire the staff. This would help the organization in making the employees about the strategic objectives of the company. Aims and objectives To critically review the vision statement. To analyze the ways in which employees can be motivated. To investigate the communication style that best suits the organization. Importance of vision To get to an end result, there are basically two ways. The first way is to be pulled to the outcome by being inspired internally and the other way is to be pushed to the outcome either through external or internal motivation. It should be noted that there a massive difference between inspiration and motivation, very little are inspired. It is essential to consider about which of the above two makes for an improved, easier to attain outcome and which one is being used and why is it considered. The ways in which aims can be archived is what the vision tells. The most important step to success whether in personal or business growth is having a clear vision of the end result, it basically brings inspiration. Fears fade away, procrastination vanishes and confronts fall away. Vision should be of paramount importance, at least build a vision of short term to utilize till the long term vision turns out to be clearer. To define the visions work must be done in teams, if the end results are clearly stated then it is much easier to decide what steps to be taken (Lewis 2003). Critical review Vision is one of the most widely used terms in the companies. However, the companies do not understand it well because the leaders themselves are not able to understand the proper meaning of a vision. Moreover, the leaders also do not understand the real meaning and the importance of the word “vision”. However, there are also some strategic leaders who understand the importance of vision really well. This is because the vision helps the company and also guides the employees in moldings the company. Therefore, it is highly essential to clarify the meaning of the word “vision” to clearly communicate it to the employees. Components of a vision Realistic A vision should be based on reality and should be meaningful to an organization. For instance, if you are creating a vision for a PC software organization that has imprinted a small position in the marketplace creating instructional software and has successfully attained 2% share of the computer software marketplace, a vision to go beyond Microsoft and rule the computer software market place is not realistic. Credible A vision must be credible, mainly to the members or employees of the company. If the employees or members of the company don’t find it credible it will not serve any purpose and will not be meaningful. Another motive of vision is to inspire those personnel in the company to attain a level of quality and to give direction and basis for the work of those personnel. A non credible vision will achieve none of the above. Attractive An attractive vision inspires and motivates the personnel within the company. Members must want to be a part of this future that is envisioned for the company. Future The basic concept to understand is that the vision is not in the present, it is in the future. A vision is not where the organization is standing now, it is where you want it to be in the near future. A correct vision is the vision that is realistic, credible, and attractive, it can achieve a number of things for the company. Main issues and support Vision basically energizes people and attracts commitment in them; this is one of the main reasons for having a vision for any company i.e. its motivational outcome. When the employees see that the company is committed to a vision and that involves more than merely having a statement of vision, it creates passion about the path the company aims to pursue and augments the loyalty of individuals to work toward accomplishing that vision. Vision actually brings meaning to employees’ lives; it basically allows the individuals to feel like they are part of a greater whole and therefore gives meaning to their work. For example, think about the distinction amid the worker of a hotel who says "I clean bathrooms and make beds,” to the one who can in addition say, "I'm part of a team which is committed to become the global leader in offering excellence service to our hotel visitors." The work done is same but the meaning and context of the work is way different. A standard of excellence is established through vision; it fulfills a vital role in setting up a standard of perfection. In reality, a good quality vision is completely about perfection. The author of the book “In Search of Excellence” Tom Peters speaks about visiting a company where quite a lot of issues were present. He got defensive responses like “But we are not bad than anybody else!” when he attempted to get the company’s leadership to tackle the issue. Such a vision which is so much characterized by lack of striving for perfection would not at all excite or motivate anybody about the company. In addition the standard of excellence can serve as an ongoing aim and rouse programs related to quality improvement as well as offering a measure of the significance of the company. Vision links the present and the future i.e. the right vision takes the company out of present and makes it focus on future. It is very easy to get trapped up in the problems of the day and to lose vision of where exactly you were heading, whereas a good vision can adjust you with the future and can give appropriate pathway. Merely just the vision isn’t sufficient enough to move you from present to future. A vision is the preferred prospective state of the company; the strategic plan however is how to get from where you are now to where you want to be in the future. Research methodology Core beliefs and values A CEO of an organization gave his views on the significance of core value and beliefs this way: I strongly believe that any company, in order to endure and attain achievement, must comprise a sound set of beliefs on which it grounds all its actions and principles. Further, I believe that the most significant element in corporate success is devotion to those beliefs, and lastly, I believe that the company must be ready to alter everything about it except those beliefs as it budges through corporate life. Core values and beliefs can narrate to diverse elements for instance workers, shareholders and customers, to ethical conduct, to company’s goals, or to the company’s leadership philosophy or management. Three shareholder values have been articulated by Baxter Healthcare Corporation: Result for their Shareholders, Respect for their Workers and Receptiveness to their Clientele, competently connecting their core morals to their main electorates and in addition saying a little about what is vital to the company. The man element, though, is whether these are not merely affirmed but also operating values. After conducting a survey of various industries, Collins and Porras have provided some examples of core values and beliefs: About People Marriott: "Observe the good in people and try to build those qualities.” About Customers L.L. Bean: "Sell appropriate material at an appropriate price; treat the clients like your friends and the business will give the result.” About Business and Management Motorola: "All will turn out great if we just keep ourselves in action, everlastingly moving frontward." Purpose The second element of philosophy is the purpose, i.e. why the company subsists and what need it fulfils. A good purpose statement should be inspirational, fundamental, broad and enduring. "Judge this purpose statement from the Apple Company: To formulate an input to the globe by manufacturing tools for the intellect that advance humanity. A sense of direction and purpose is very essential to commitment whether nation, company, team or individual. A common purpose is the bond that unites individuals together to common reason, frequently connecting each person's objectives with the company's objectives. It offers understanding of the want for synchronized effort that is collective -- for subordinating personal interest to the bigger purpose that can be attained simply by the combined exertion. It is the basis for thorough planning for the allotment of resources when it is long range in nature. It provides self-esteem and honor to those contributing in the effort when it is inspiring and dignified, and it provides hopes to all who look for it when it assures an improved future (Leat 2001). Properties of a good vision A good vision basically is a mental model of a future position; it mainly involves consideration about future and representing possible future positions. A vision depicts a fabricated world that can never be viewed or demonstrated in advance and that in reality might never turn out to be reality. Though, it defines the path to identify aims and how to plan to attain them only if it is a good mental model. If a good vision is idealistic, how is it possible that it can be realistic at the same time? One method of integrating these conflicting elements of a vision is that the vision is sensible enough so that individuals deem it is attainable, but idealistic too so that it can never be attained without determination. It will not set a standard of excellence nor will it motivate individuals if it is too easy to attain. Conversely, if it is too unrealistic, it may be apparent as away from the reach of those in the company and depress inspiration. It is quality of a good vision to be in consistency with the company’s culture and values and its place in the environment. It should be realistic as well, for instance in a time of economizing and consolidation in a business sector, a very determined, expansionistic vision would be inappropriate. A good vision motivates eagerness and promotes commitment. An inspirational vision can aid individuals in a company get keyed up about what they are working and augment their commitment to the company. The computer business sector is a true example of companies with good visions. A current survey reported that it is usual for individuals to work 80 hour weeks and for individuals working at any hour of the day or night. A number of companies had to come across ways to make workers leave for home and not ways to make them come to work. A good vision is easy to comprehend and well articulated. It should strike a balance i.e. it should be more than just a slogan and less than a complete long and complex strategic plan. A good vision must be actually unusual. This element gets back to the thought of a vision that emphasizes individuals and the company to stretch. It basically pushes the company to an advanced standard of fineness, demanding its associates to attempt and attain a point of performance they have not attained previously. Methods of data analysis It is much clear of what a good vision consists of and you will be able to recognize a vision statement when you see one. However, it is up to the strategic head to formulate the plan in which the vision of the company is to be worked upon (Barker 2008). Study about each and everything of the company as there is no alternative for detailed understanding of the company as base for your vision and the management should bring about the company’s major stakeholders into the process of visioning. One of the Nanus’s imperative is: “do not try to do it alone,” involvement of the key members of the company is very vital if it is going to be a completely shared vision. Do not limit your thoughts and creativeness by the company’s present direction – it might be right, but it might not be. Therefore keep an open mind as you discover the choices for a fresh vision. Comprehend and value the present vision, offer stability if possible and do not just let go better ideas just because you did not create them. Nanus defines a seven-step process for devising a vision in his book regarding visionary leadership: 1. Understand the organization - Before formulating a vision for an organization it is vital to understand it. Crucial queries to be responded include: what its purpose and mission are, what value it offers to the people, what the nature of the business sector is, what does it take for the company to be successful, who exactly the stakeholders are and what are their expectations. 2. Conduct a vision audit - This level engages testing the present direction of the company. Some important questions to be responded include: Does the company have an evidently confirmed vision? What is the company’s present direction? Are the leaders aware where the company is heading? Do the company’s workers, incentives, processes, structures and information systems aid the present direction? 3. Target the vision - This step involves investigating constraints. Vital questions: what are the hurdles or limitations to the vision? What exactly must the vision achieve? What crucial concerns must be stated in the vision statement? 4. Set the vision context - This is the point in time where you look to the upcoming future and this is when the process of devising a vision gets complicated. To create a desirable vision you must consider what the company’s prospective environment look like. You must first sort future advances in the surroundings which may have an effect on your vision. Second, categorize your outcomes for the future in every class. Third, conclude which of these outcomes is most probable to take place and finally allot a likelihood of happening to each outcome. The other three steps are: 5. Develop future scenarios. 6. Generate alternative visions. 7. Choose the final vision. Implementing the vision Are you done now after having a vision statement for your company? Formulation of the vision is merely the first step whereas implementing it is much difficult. The three crucial duties of the strategic head are devising the vision, communicating it to the members and putting it into practice. Few company’s think that formulation of the vision is all that is significant, this concept is incorrect i.e., if they have not worked on the implementation, the time employed on formulation is a waste. In a worst case scenario, a vision stated in the statement and not applied may have unfavorable consequences inside the company as it gives expectations in the start which lead to distrust when those are not fulfilled. The leader needs to communicate the vision to all the company’s stakeholders prior to the implementation of vision. Now the question arise how to communicate a vision to massive company? A number of tactics used by companies include distributing the vision in text form; organizing audio-video demonstrations defining the vision. The strategic planning comes in once you have communicated the vision to all stakeholders. It basically connects the present to the future and demonstrates how you plan to move toward your vision. One of the procedures of strategic planning is to initially build up goals to assist you attain your vision and then build up measures that will facilitate the company to achieve these goals (Bailey, Netting & Perlmutter 2000). Ethical issues and Limitations There are however, some considerations that the management has to take care of when formulating the vision of the company. The company has to ensure that the vision is free from any kind of ethical. Moreover, due to the ethical issues, the management may find some limitations which they have to take care of. When the management is in the phase of formulating a vision, they need to ensure that all the important aspects are being taken care of. When communicating about the vision to the employees, the leaders of an organization need to keep the employees motivated by inspiring the staff and by helping them understand the objectives of the organization. However, it is important that when the vision is being communicated to the employees, it should be clear and the correct meaning of the vision should be communicated in order to avoid any kinds of confusion. Moreover, the vision should be easy to understand and it should not deviate from the points which it really is about. The company must follow the vision religiously and no such acts must be done that brings a bad name to the company. Lastly, the management should also ensure the employees about job safety with regards to the vision and employee exploitation should be avoided at all times. Conclusion Organizations should develop vision which should be specific as well as measurable for which a comprehensive plan is required. This will help the organization in recognizing where it is standing. However, the actions should have milestones so that goals can be measured accordingly. Moreover the management must also develop a strategic plan and real implementation of vision must be done all over the organization. Besides this, it is also important to keep monitoring the results so that changes can be made in case of negative feedback. Bibliography: Bailey,D., Netting,E. & Perlmutter,F.D. (2000). Managing Human Resources in the Human Services: Supervisory Challenges.1st Edn. Oxford Cool Soundsiversity Press, USA. Barker,C. (2008). Cultural Studies: Theory and Practice. 3rd Edn. Sage Publications Ltd. Leat, M. (2001). Exploring Employee Relations. Butterworth-Heinemann. Lewis,P. (2003). Employee Relations: Cool Soundsderstanding The Employment Relationship. Financial Times Management. Read More