In one board retreat I facilitated, a chairman proudly unveiled the new “vision statement.” It was poetic: “to be the leading financial institution transforming lives across Africa.” When he finished, silence filled the room. The directors nodded politely. No one felt it. No one could act on it. Why? Because it inspired applause, not action.
Boards do not exist to craft elegant sentences, but they exist to set direction that mobilises belief. Vision is not what hangs in the lobby. It is what shapes daily decisions at the lowest level of the organisation. The real test of vision is not in its wording but in its transmission.
Let us separate myth from practice.
A vision must be specific enough to guide choices
Most corporate visions die because they are too vague. “To be the best” or “to transform society” does not tell anyone what to do differently on Monday morning. A board’s role is to define what winning looks like in clear, observable terms.
If the vision is growth, specify how, through digital channels, underserved segments, or product innovation. If it is service excellence, define what experience gap the organisation must close. Clarity breeds confidence. Ambiguity breeds inertia.
Boards must translate aspiration into direction. Without that, management improvises while the board watches the wrong movie.
Anchor the vision in a lived context, not corporate jargon
People act on what they feel, not what they are told. Boards often launch visions through glossy videos and speeches, yet employees remain unmoved because the message feels imported, not lived.
The most effective boards use stories from their own journey. “Here is why this vision matters to us.” They reference the organisation’s struggles, values, and turning points. When a vision connects to real experience, it becomes collective memory, not marketing.
One manufacturing board I advised in Uganda spent half a day visiting workers before announcing a new productivity vision. The board listened, not spoke. The next week, employees embraced the vision as their own because it reflected their frustrations and hopes.
Communicate through example, not email
Nothing kills a vision faster than hypocrisy. Boards that preach innovation but punish mistakes, or promote ethics while tolerating political appointments, destroy credibility.
Every board member is a communication channel. How they make decisions, question management, and allocate resources reveals whether the vision is real or decorative. When directors live the values they proclaim, culture shifts naturally.
Boards communicate vision through what they fund, measure, and reward. If sustainability is part of the vision, sustainability metrics must appear in performance reviews. If customer centricity is a goal, customer pain points should top the board agenda; not appear as footnotes.
Translate the vision into narrative and numbers
In my experience, people follow two languages: stories and scorecards. The story provides meaning; the scorecard provides momentum.
Boards must ensure the vision has both. Tell the story of why the organisation exists; its purpose and promise; and show how success will be measured through two or three long-term strategic indicators.
An effective vision statement can be summarised as: “We exist to achieve X for Y through Z.” That formula, Outcome, Audience, Approach, forces precision. It also enables cascading communication across all levels.
Build rituals that reinforce the vision
Vision fades unless it is refreshed. Boards that embed it into recurring rituals; strategy reviews, award ceremonies, onboarding, even safety briefings; make it part of organisational rhythm.
The board must ask at every meeting: “How does this agenda item move us closer to our vision?” Over time, this question becomes a discipline. Reflection meetings, storytelling forums, and leadership scorecards all serve as touchpoints that remind everyone why they are here.
Make the vision believable through consistent wins
People believe what they see working. Boards must align management goals to deliver small, visible victories that demonstrate progress toward the vision.
A hospital that declares a vision of “patient-centred care” should first eliminate waiting-line frustration. Once that changes, staff start believing a larger change is possible. Boards communicate credibility through early proof, not promises.
Use the power of two voices
In governance, the board articulates why; management translates it into how. The two must harmonise. A divided voice confuses the organisation. The chairman and CEO must co-own the vision narrative; one sets the aspiration, the other drives the execution.
During one turnaround, I observed a chairman who spoke the language of transformation while the CEO spoke the language of compliance. Staff followed the latter. Alignment at the top determines energy at the bottom.
End with a leadership truth: vision is not communication; it is contagion
When a vision truly resonates, it spreads without being repeated. It shows up in hallway conversations, customer interactions, and even budget debates.
Boards that communicate vision effectively understand this: people do not follow words; they follow conviction. A board’s duty is not to impress stakeholders with eloquence but to infect the organisation with purpose so clear it becomes unstoppable.
The question for every director is simple: Does our vision make people move, or merely nod?
If it only inspires applause, it is not a vision but wallpaper. If it inspires action, it is leadership.G
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