The best way to predict the future is to create it. -Peter Drucker
Developing a shared vision is a process that can help leadership teams rally around common goals. This simple and quick tool was developed by Vincent Lenhardt and involves supporting a team of six to ten people in the co-development of a shared vision in less than a day. The five stages of the approach, based on a sharing of representations, are as follows: individual reflection, presentation, clarification, metacommunication and development of the vision.
Individual reflection
The first step is to give participants individual time to answer six questions on post-it notes. For example, they can think about the question: “Where do you see your business in five years?” or “What will your contribution be?”
Presentation
Participants present their answers to the group and paste them on dedicated sheets. The answers are grouped by question, thus allowing the expression of the vision of the entire team.
Clarification
The presentations are not followed by a debate, only clarifying questions are allowed.
Metacommunication
A freeze frame is proposed by the coach, during which the participants share their feelings and feelings about the progress of the meeting without entering into a debate on the content.
Developing the shared vision
The coach leads a debate around the first five questions and encourages the sharing of representations, thus allowing disagreements to be addressed calmly and misunderstandings to be resolved to build a shared vision. The big ideas that emerge are then prioritized using stickers.
- How do you see your business in 5 years?
- How do you see your business in 1 year?
- What are the main internal and external issues?
- What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats?
- What are your recommendations and what will be your contribution?
This tool is particularly relevant for management teams who preferably work on a dedicated day, outside the company, so as to allow participants to take a step back from their daily lives.
In summary
Developing a shared vision can help leadership teams rally around common goals. It is simple and quick to implement thanks to the five steps of Vincent Lenhardt’s approach, which is based on sharing representations.