On Thursday, I spent a whole day (And then a Friday) creating, constructing, and consolidating a vision for the ITI’s online academy education project for the next 2 (to 20) years. I did this with Martin and Katalina from ITI HQ, who came to visit us at the clinic for 2 days, and whom I will go back to visit on Monday and Tuesday next week.
Vision setting is something I have studied in depth over the past 10 years, a concept we have applied aggressively and obsessively to our own organisation, and encourage others to do the same through their own organisations.
It is very difficult.
It is very, very easy to do badly and very, very difficult to do well.
It is the type of thing that you can easily spend a whole day trying to figure out, trying to construct. It's harder than that, though; it should take ages.
The reason it's so difficult is that it requires you to distil down what you feel and think and want, what your values are, and where you hope to be, the difference you hope to make, the change you hope to create in a few short words.
It should not be changed, except for a reason of utmost importance and significance.
It should stand the test of time and be the guiding principle for the organisation and the people that it hopes to bring together.
Once it is constructed, though you have to live by it, you actually have to live or die by it - that's the point.
People who are not serious about vision setting, not serious about creating organisations to make a positive impact, just change the vision and direction at the first sign of trouble.
It takes bravery to live through that.
The people who have made a difference, who have brought about change, are brave enough to stick to the vision they created, understanding that it was and is their responsibility.
Whenever I speak to people in dental business and dental practices asking for help and advice (and I do this more and more and more), the first thing I ask is about the vision. Almost no one seems to be able to give a coherent answer.
Blog Post Number - 4229
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