Chapter 4. Creating a Project Vision: The Image that Guides the Team’s Work

VISION IS A loaded word. Ask ten people on the street to define it, and you will probably receive ten different definitions. Ask the street preacher, and he may cite visions of imminent celestial arrivals, repentance, and heavenly glory. Ask the politician, and she will go on and on about her vision of tomorrow, which, if not implemented, will only result in a continued societal slide toward hell on earth. Vision, as a word, has always had dual implications: that of illusion, and that of foresight. It is a word that can be used with ease by madmen and wise men alike.

As a result, it is easy to see why many managers are made uncomfortable by the word. Yet if asked what single trait is essential for effective leadership, most would simply reply, “Vision.” This entire concept can be especially difficult for the project manager to accept. Most project managers are characterized and rewarded as can-do sorts of people who keep their feet firmly planted on the ground—no head-in-the-clouds attitudes here. For many project managers, especially those with strong technical skills, the idea of vision may seem not only ridiculous but also potentially dangerous, and many will strongly oppose it. Yet, vision is an essential component of transformational leadership, strongly associated with innovative change. The ability of a project manager to visualize and communicate a project’s aims, methodology, and definition of success is paramount for effective leadership.