What’s a Vision Anyway? Why Can’t They Just Do Their Jobs?
Ken Carlson
Experienced Executive Coach and Leadership Trainer with a knack for working with Geeks; Specializing in Engineering, Science, Math, and Medical.
We've rebranded as PricklyPear! In early 2023, we began sharing weekly content (see below) with a focus on neurodivergent leaders and we truly hope it has made a difference for you. Recently, we introduced you to a new company that I (Ken) and Petra Russell, PCC, CPC, ELI-MP have launched to specifically serve neurodivergent leaders.
As Executive Coaches and Leadership Trainers we've had the opportunity to work with hundreds of neurodivergent leaders and coach them through many leadership and workplace challenges. Each week we will continue to share resources and insights for neurodivergent leaders and the rest of us.
This week we are introducing the first topic in a new Wheel of Neurodivergent Leadership.
Stay tuned for news on our new Linkedin Group aimed at supporting the neurodivergent and neurodiverse leadership community, launching in the next couple of weeks!
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What’s a Vision Anyway? Why Can’t They Just Do Their Jobs?
I was talking to one of my clients a few months ago and he was struggling with his team being motivated and inspired in their day to day work. One thing to note about this leader, is his work impacts the world. He is a senior leader at one of the largest companies in the world. The products him and his team work on are used by nearly half of the world’s people.
I’m inspired by him and his work.
What he didn’t get—and really couldn’t comprehend, is how the people in his organization could be unmotivated or uninspired.
I asked him, “Do you articulate a vision of where you and your team are going on a regular basis?”
His answer surprised me: “No, why would I do that? They know what their work is and they can easily figure out for themselves how important it is. Can’t they just do their jobs?”
He also said, “But I’m willing to try, what’s a vision anyway?”
So we talked about a vision. A vision is a clear place that you are going as a team—and often a vision paints an inspiring picture of the future.
A vision also needs to be articulated, or held, by the leader at all times. It is the leader’s job to talk about it regularly. Vision leaks. People hear a vision and then they forget in their day to day. That’s where a leader comes into play—they can reinforce where the org is going and share a “why” that people can get on board with.
Back to my leader. Fast forward a few months and he is sharing a consistent vision with his team and he is shocked by the results. His team is working harder, staying engaged, and even inspiring other parts of the greater organization.
I’ve found that many engineers turned managers or neurodivergent leaders in all organizations, sometimes struggle with this vision piece because the “why” of the work they are doing isn’t what drives them. They just want to solve the problem in front of them and they are self-motivated. If this describes you, you are not alone. On the other hand, it may feel uncomfortable to cast a vision—and maybe you don’t even know where to start.
Start with what you think the “why” for the team could be—and just share it. Let me know how it goes.
PS, we'll be talking about this topic in two weeks at PricklyPear's second LinkedIn Live event. You can watch the first one about Cultivating Brilliance in Neurodivergent Leaders and find out more about the next one titled Wheel of Neurodivergent Leadership.
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Past Articles: Neurodiverse Leadership Resource Library
Want more resources on neurodiversity leadership? We are finding and creating resources for you. Watch this section expand every week.
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Staying In Touch
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Join us for our next LinkedIn Live event: Wheel of Neurodivergent Leadership
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