“A well-conceived vision consists of two major components: core ideology and envisioned future” (Collins & Porras., 1996). Speaking of vision for the future or future vision as can be comprehended is a target which anyone wishes to achieve irrespective of an individual or organizational leaders seeking it.
At an individual level numerous examples could be provided akin to leaders at an organizational level. However, trying to provide an example at an individual level it can be narrated as under:
Naresh is a student pursuing a professional course in accounting from a reputed institute in his country. However, he has confusion about the vision he has outlined for his future. He seeks professional help from a coach who asks him to carry out a self-analysis test which consist of a list of questions. The results of the test highlight grey areas where some work is required on his part.
The above example is about an individual. However, business organizations need to try and identify their vision for the future thus indulging in a process of critical thinking and analysing their core ideology.
Core purpose and core value are embedded in core ideology. To draw clarity on the process of determining the organizational ideology the following example would serve the purpose.
In my career as a coach my path crossed with a gentleman who had hired me as a strategy coach for his existing business. During the coaching process I asked him a question on the ‘Core Value’ of his organization. He was utterly confused and provided me with a blank expression. To provide him further clarity on the crucial part of my question I moved the focus from his business to his personal life and queried him to highlight on the part of his character/personality trait in his personal life which he would never compromise upon irrespective of it rendering him negative results.
He thought for a while. After a few moments his eyes lit with a sparkle. He narrated mentioning that when he and his spouse visit their relations, they ensure taking all the necessary preventions to not trouble their hosts, in any way. In the process, on several occasions he has experienced a monetary loss, yet they as a couple have adhered strictly to their policy of not causing disturbance of any sorts to their hosts, thus leaving it uncompromised.
My next question to him focussed upon his policy in his personal life being close to his heart and mind. He answered in the affirmative. I asked him to provide a thought to a policy adopted for his business which he would leave uncompromised, irrespective of the results it would derive. His eyes lit up again and he answered the question ‘the business core value’.
‘Core Purpose’ never changes. It is static all through for individuals and organizations. It is akin to the light at the end of a dark tunnel which remains as is. It is there guiding a seeker towards it but can never be achieved. Efforts are taken by the seeker to gain proximity and reduce the distance in the trajectory from the point where the seeker is to reach their purpose. Efforts taken by an organization, or an individual are the strategies to try and achieve as much nearness to the purpose as they can.
For example, ‘To touch the soul of people’ is the core purpose of a café. To achieve it they try to provide delicacies, and gain quality in their culinary skills.
In my experience, I have encountered organizations that have their thoughts mixed up on their core purpose. They mistake the operational strategies that they devise regularly as their core purpose which it is not. For a teacher his /her core purpose would be to touch the lives of their students through their teachings. Enhancing the quality of the methods applied while teaching a topic under a subject cannot be termed as the core purpose. It turns out to be a strategy, a hypothetical method which the teacher devises to ensure addition of value in the life of their students who would be the recipients of such teaching. The result of the hypothetical methodology adopted would turn out to be favourable or unfavourable.
‘Core Value’ plus ‘Core Purpose’ gives rise to ‘Core Ideology’. The teacher’s example can be provided here by thus stating that their core value would be ‘to ensure they are backed up with solid data on the topic under discussion with their students’ or ‘they get down to their level while imparting the knowledge that they share’ with them.
Hence their core ideology would be to have a data backup on the topic under discussion to create a value addition in the lives of their students. More on ‘Core Ideology’ in the forthcoming Part 2
References:
Collins J.C. & Porras J.I. “Building your company’s vision”, On Strategy, Harvard Business Review