In any organization, the very things that create your capacity for accomplishment, progress, impact, etc. create friction. In an engine, there are only two ways to overcome the deadly heat caused by friction: shut down or use oil. Similarly, every organization requires oil and that oil is vision.

In the realm of leadership mythology there is an illusion that emasculates scores of people who have legitimate capacity to influence others. That illusion? True leaders a rare breed of exceptionally gifted people able to make others and organizations to leap tall buildings with a single bound.

Just as blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the organs and muscles of the human body, the process of communication infuses every aspect of an organization with life. And, just as blood carries away spent cells and impurities, so too, the return loop of communication does a healing work.

Airtime might be one of the most important commodities at your disposal for shaping the direction, culture, and values of any organization.

In any organization, the very things that create your capacity for accomplishment, progress, impact, etc. create friction. In an engine, there are only two ways to overcome the deadly heat caused by friction: shut down or use oil. Similarly, every organization requires oil and that oil is vision.

In the realm of leadership mythology there is an illusion that emasculates scores of people who have legitimate capacity to influence others. That illusion? True leaders a rare breed of exceptionally gifted people able to make others and organizations to leap tall buildings with a single bound.

Understanding the concept of a half-life: simple... Recognizing its impact on those you lead: profound... Knowing it was birthed out of a parallel to radioactivity: ominous. The point? “Vision has a half-life of seven days!” A half-life of seven days means the potency of your vision in the minds and motivations of your people diminishes by half every week. It also means that in a mere 28 days what was originally powerful will be impotent.

We frequently talk and act as if the most important criteria of leaders is the ability to create and communicate vision single-handedly. We expect leaders to develop vision from scratch and then articulate it with god-like inspiration. As a result, scores of people devalue their capacity for leadership for the simple fact that they don’t excel at this full-feature visionary role. This article attempts to redefine visionary leadership.

This unique challenge of politics is the territory that gave birth to the notion of a stump speech. Others have called it an “elevator speech.” No matter what you call it, the point is simple: if you cannot communicate your central message in 30 seconds you won’t be able to communicate it effectively in 30 minutes.

The power of vision does not come from believing it is important, but in the vision itself. This simple article is written as a primer to provide you with a process for crafting vision that is compelling and clear enough to communicate.

Will Mancini's book doesn't just make a case for vision, but he does some unique work on how vision can be developed and how it serves to fuel a missional movement.

Andy Stanley is a good leader and in this classic book, he unpacks his thoughts on visionary leadership.

Jim Collin's description of "Big Hairy Audacious Goals" brings the notion of vision down to managable reality. Many leaders will find that BHAGs serve a visionary function.