I'm often asked for examples of good Vision Statements. Usually this is when talking to clients about the MSP approach to delivering such a profound change that the 'world' looks quite different once the change has been made; so called 'transformational change'. Bad vision statements abound. One client of ours has a document that sets out the vision over about eight pages of text(!!), mostly in abstract corporate language that leaves many in that organisation none the wiser, and if anything even more confused and skeptical.
Well I came across this example from a surprising source the other day. The image shown here is a bookmark, given to me by an associate who is working on a project to revitalise the museum in Abingdon, a town near where I live in Oxfordshire, UK. It contains several of the features of a good Vision Statement.
As you will see, it's short. Vision should be short. But this one has to be laid out on a bookmark. It's laid out in a series of bullet points, some clearly stating what in the 'old world' will be preserved, but describing the new from the client perspective.
Also, I find it quite appealing. I'd quite to visit this museum when this vision is realised.
And that's another characteristic of a good vision: it is verifiable, we will know when we are now living in the vision.
We often talk in business about the 'elevator pitch', getting your proposition across in the time it takes to travel in the elevator with the decision-maker. Maybe we should apply, in like manner, the 'bookmark test' to our vision statements.
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