PrimoroBlog

Inspire a Shared Vision

Leadership can and is often a learned skill.  In my last installment, I presented this first trait of true leaders and offered some suggestions on how you could hone that skill, "Challenge the Process.  Today we will explore the next trait of good leaders and, again, offer some suggestions to help you build the skill, Inspiring a Shared Vision. 

Let's first explore what a "Vision" is and how you can create a your vision that has life and vitality.  It is important to recognize that visions all share these common themes.  Great visions describe the ideal state in which you want your practice to thrive.  Visions should be unique to your practice.  You should rejoice in being different from other providers in your area. Describing the future of your practice, where you want to go, is a crucial element of your vision.   How many of you agonize over the decor of you practice?  While decor is not a vision, it clearly illustrates how using a mental picture aides you in developing the image you are trying to achieve.  And lastly, having a solid vision creates the common purpose you need to enlist employees to come together.  

It is important to effectively communicate your vision.  Your employees expect it.  They are looking for positive and optomistic views of the practice.  And, that could not be more true than in these recessionary times.  Communicate your vision with words and actions, not a memo. Good communication comes from the heart, not a poster or email.

My experience shows that most physicians spend far too little time in planning their business -- that is, asking themselves what do I want this practice to be like in five years, in ten years? Most leaders, on the other hand, spend quite a bit of time in considering the possibilities, creating the mental image of how they want their business to be. Then, through their own enthusiasm, effective leaders inspire others to embrace the possibilities. The two essential elements to inspiring a shared vision are:

• Envisioning the future
• Enlisting others

From that inspiration, you can create action if you:

• Act on your beliefs
• Test assumptions
• Know who your followers are (and enlist their help)
• Communicate the common purpose for the practice
• Illustrate that meeting the practice goals are in everyone’s best interests
• Be expressive when you communicate

Spending some quiet time thinking and developing your vision can be a tremendous asset for your practice.  Communicating the vision effectively to your employees and patients does two things.  Your employees become engage in the business of your practice, helping you grow. Secondly, your patients see, feel and appreciate the energy you and your staff present.  This, in turn, results in more referrals and an improved bottom line.

* Adapted from The Leadership Challenge, James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner