Do you have a personal vision? If you don’t you need to get one!
Why…you ask? A compelling personal vision will help you stay focused, motivated and working hard in this demanding and ever-changing world.
As a family business consultant and coach working with families for the past 20 years, I see so many family members experiencing frustration and unhappiness in the family business.
One of the first things I ask people to articulate to me is their personal vision. Surprisingly too often people give me a blank stare.
It is your personal responsibility to develop your own personal vision for your life. Here’s a few questions I typically ask clients:
- What do you want to be known for in your profession?
- Do you want to be an industry leader in your field?
- What do you want your legacy to be when you’re gone?
- What kind of work do you enjoy the most?
- What kind of people do you enjoy working with?
- Where do you see yourself financially in 5, 10 and 20 years?
- What is it going to take to achieve your personal and financial goals?
Your personal vision needs to be clearly thought out and articulated to yourself and others around you. Think about taking a long trip in the car. The more you have your roadmap laid out, the higher percent likelihood you’re going to reach your destination on time.
The conflict and frustration comes in the family business setting when people have personal visions that are not in alignment with the family business vision. One of the best ways I explain this is to have people think about the mess kit you get when you are young camper. You get a whole set of bowls that fit within each other — that’s called being nested together.
If your personal vision does not nest well with the family business Vision you have a problem.
Too often people try to get the family business to modify its vision to set their own personal vision. That’s usually the recipe for trouble.
I encourage people to develop their own personal vision, follow their heart and work hard to make their vision become a reality. If the family business appears to be a place where the vision is not aligned, you would be well served to take your time and energy elsewhere to find the professional setting and work environment that will support your personal vision.
Having a personal vision that is not aligned with the family business is not the end of the world. I left my family business after 16 years when I realized our visions were not aligned. You can read more about that in one of my most read blogs (15 years later link here). I couldn’t seem to find it…
Get to work on your personal vision today!
