Whether in the world of politics, business or sports, each of us can probably think of a competitive situation in which an alleged under-dog came back to win a contest, or an unlikely competitor successfully captured the prize from its competition. What did these people have that the favorite did not?
In a recent interview with Ralph Lauren, the fashion mogul best known for his Polo brand, Lauren compared his vision to that of Bill Paley’s of CBS by saying: “Bill Paley had a vision for CBS. He had clarity. He had a dream. He had talent. He had focus, and believed in that vision, and his company ended up having longevity.” The same could be said of Allen Neuharth, former CEO of Gannet Company, who broke the paradigm of regional reporting with his revolutionary vision of a nationwide newspaper that eventually led to the launch of USA Today in 1982.
Although these leaders and their teams may have employed elaborate strategies to realize the result, the common denominator was a vibrant vision of success that transcended the organization and triggered an ardent desire to realize it.
Do you have a vision that powerfully inspires you and your organization? Can you see recent changes happening as a result? Where do you need to refocus and recommit?
[…] gave well-known examples of its power to drive companies forward and even transform the marketplace (The All-Powerful Force of Vision). There are many other examples we could consider, but the bottom line is – it works, and it’s a […]