Organizations need a picture of a worthier future. A vision is an aspirational description of what the organization seeks to become or achieve over the long term.

Effective visions are vivid, ambitious, and grounded enough to be believable. They motivate people beyond routine targets and help prioritize investments. A vision differs from a mission: mission states purpose; vision paints the desired future state.

Visions that remain slogans change nothing. Visions that leaders repeatedly connect to strategy, projects, and recognition gradually orient the whole enterprise. The test of a vision is whether people can see how their work contributes to making it real.

• Aspirational picture of a desired future state
• Motivates and guides long-term prioritization
• Distinct from mission’s statement of purpose
• Gains power when linked to concrete action