Have you recently felt you were not sure about the value of your work or whether you are moving in the right direction to reach the expected outcome? If yes, then the vision of your work is blurred.
The direction you should be moving is clear when the vision for your team is well-defined. Without a vision that is evident and attractive, employees are just doing their own thing.
Creating a vision should be a collective process. Good leaders understand that the executives might set the mission, but how your team achieves it should be a creative process involving team members. When you are new to a team, there should be time spent with your supervisor about why and how we do this work. If you need transparency around the vision, sit down with your supervisor and ask some questions to understand. Here are a few suggestions:
· What is the vision for our team or department?
· How are we contributing to the overall mission of the company?
· What values do you have, as our leader, about how we do our work?
· What does success of our team look like to you?
· How do I fit in to this vision?
If your supervisor is unable to answer these questions, then there is a great opportunity for her to create a vision with your team. This process could improve team engagement and increase results toward company goals. Your supervisor will thank you for helping her remove the blurred vision for the team.
If you want more information about creating a vision, one of my go-to resources is a Harvard Business Review article Building Your Company’s Vision by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras.
Clarify what you should be doing and how you bring value or you will not be very happy in the work. Not enjoying your work is detrimental for your well being and the company’s bottom line.