Developing a Leadership Vision Statement for Your Own Personal Star Trek

Developing your own leadership vision statement is the first step toward boldly going where you’ve never been before–personally and professionally. Conquering professional frontiers is easier and more gratifying when you’re blazing a path toward personal fulfillment as well.

Some personality types like the embryonic part of the process: brainstorming, scribbling ideas, creating spreadsheets. They may embrace the newness of it, the limitless possibilities of it. The promise of real progress, professional forward movement–this heady stuff can really get their adrenaline going.

But the nuts and bolts of it can be more heavy than heady, weighing them down and even discouraging them. It’s one thing to peer into a crystal ball; it’s another to fashion the crystal ball and select the vision it reveals.

A leadership vision statement should encompass your idea of a best-case scenario.

As you rally your courage to believe that you can “get there from here,” the challenge is to figure out what “there” looks like. What does a successful professional and personal future look like to you? Can you achieve a viable work-life balance while pursuing these goals?

Your statement is a projection into the future, framed by the hope that you can plan carefully step-by-step and arrive at your desired destination. Incorporating your personal goals into your leadership vision statement may help you plan more realistically, with work-life balance in mind. It should reflect your core values, the best attributes of your personality and character; and it should include the needs of those most dependent upon your success–your work partners and your life partners.

Professionally, it should incorporate the best interests of your organization. It should fully support the belief system and culture of your company. It should be relatively easy to communicate and to process. It’s what makes a full buy-in by the whole team possible. It’s the big picture that makes it easier for everyone to see and accept where they fit in. It should also inspire colleagues who need to beef up their skill set to step up their game so that they can become an even greater asset to the team as your common goals are pursued. Translation: It should be inspirational instead of intimidating.

Personally and professionally, it’s something you can wrap your head around along with your heart. Developing a leadership vision statement can be a wonderful, cleansing experience. It can help you clear away the clutter and get to the heart of what really matters to you. Embrace the journey and dare to believe that you really can get “there” from here.