Starting your own company goes along with an idea or a vision that motivated you to do so. Without a mission, you would not be able to put up with all that hard work and, finally, reach the point that you had dreamt of. But, in order for your company to function properly and for your employees to really understand your company’s mission, you have to communicate that vision. In many cases, it has been noticed that, even if the company’s executives have put a lot of effort to capture that vision in simple terms, in order to be easily comprehended, employees seem to not get engaged with it.
This causes a new waste of time, on behalf of the leadership team, in order to alternate the message, so as to be understandable. But, what CEOs cannot see, is that they should investigate the underlying issues that cause employees to not get the message. This tactic will provide a clearer image of the situation and will provide ways to solve it. Below you will find the most common reasons that cause that miscomprehension.
Communication is in second fiddle
When an employee is not part of the leadership team, it’s only logical they are not so familiar with your vision and mission. In that case, employees should hear more about it and it should not just be discussed once at an all-hands meeting. You could try communicating the message in other ways too than just written. You could even create a video. Furthermore, if you want to make it even more tangible, when sharing your vision with your coworkers, you could pair it and connect it with your way of treating customers. A success story of a satisfied customer will do the job.
Your vision is unapproachable
Many companies use vision statements that only focus on the organization’s ultimate and highest goals. In this case, it is very difficult for an employee, who is at the base of the hierarchical pyramid, to understand how his work and efforts, affect the bigger cause. This is when managers enter the game. A company’s CEO cannot really help in that case, so the burden is on each department’s manager. They will be in charge of connecting the work in their department with the company’s purpose and give employees the incentives they need.
Aversion
Employees would rather say that they are not familiar with your mission than admitting that they do not agree with it or, even worse, that they dislike it. This is most likely to happen if your culture does not include a team spirit and atmosphere. But, if the aforementioned does not describe you, you should find a way to learn to what extent your employees agree and embrace your vision. Underlying concerns should be your first field of investigation. Moreover, you could get your employees to fill in an anonymous questionnaire. This way you will learn what they fear the most and which are their biggest insecurities regarding their work. This feedback is much more valuable than investing time and money to capture your vision in a more catchy and clearer phrase.
A vision is a cornerstone for a successful company with happy and productive employees. People need incentives, in order to get the best out of them, and if you listen carefully to their concerns, you will be in place to connect your vision to their needs.
