Several years ago I worked with several small organizations to help them create their own compelling visions. Based on that experience, I published an article in Quality Progress, the journal of the American Society for Quality (April, 1995).

While I have learned a few things in the last decade or so and would write a slightly different article today, most of the concepts are still valid. In particular I have found that the vision trilogy does a good job of addressing Quinn’s three aspects of change: the what of change, the we of change, and the I of change (Quinn, R. 1996, Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within. Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.).

Note: Just to set the record straight, there is a misprint in figure 3 Bureau of Indian Affairs, Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act Projects Office Vision. The overarching vision statement reads: “Returning traditional lands to native hands by exploiting the past for Alaska’s future.” The actual vision does not have the word “exploiting” but instead uses the word is “exploring” - After all they are archeologists.

Abstract

One of 4 common characteristics of Malcolm Baldrige National Quality award winners is that all had a vision of what quality was and how they would achieve it (Hodgetts, 1993). A vision is the essential element in organizational success. It provides direction and drives everything that is done in an organization. The visioning concept, vision trilogy, and the 8-step visioning process bridge the gap so a vision can be any organization's key to success. The vision is that perfect state that might never be reached, but which one never stops trying to achieve. For a vision to be successful, it must empower. Empowerment is a combination of motivation to act, authority to do the job, and the opportunity to get it done. The visioning process is designed to provide structure to the seemingly structureless concept of creating a vision. The 8 steps of this process are: 1. Collect input. 2. Brainstorm. 3. Shrink the mess. 4. Develop a rough draft. 5. Refine the statements. 6. Test the criteria. 7. Obtain organization approval or make modifications. 8. Communicate and celebrate.

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Reprinted here with permission (c) 1995 American Society for Quality.

Cited In

1. 1.Czuchry, A. J., C. Hyder, et al. (1997). "A systematic approach to improving quality: a framework and a field study." International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management 14(9): 876-898. Cited twice in the article.
   

2. 2.Success in Sight: Visioning by Andrew Kakabadse, Frédéric Nortier, Nello-Bernard Abramovici, Published 1998, International Thomson Business Press, 248 pages       http://books.google.com/books?id=SSOOzR2cCecC&lr= 
   

3. 3.Community Strategic Visioning Programs, by Norman Walzer; Praeger Publishers, 1996. 238 pgs.  [Book] http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&docId=23325718#
   

4. 4.Le visioning et la vision dans les entreprises communicantes: Approche thé orique et études de cas [Book] http://enssibal.enssib.fr/bibliotheque/documents/dessride/rrbdrissi.pdf
   

5. 5.企"愿景的效用及其#建流程 Utilities of Corporate Vision and Visioning Procedure http://scholar.ilib.cn/A-yuc200403001.html
   

6. 6.企"愿景的效用及其#建流程   申光!， 袁斌 - $%, 2004 - &普'  Vo1．23．No．3 $%FoRECAST IG http://engine.cqvip.com/content/f/95963x/2004/023/003/jj21_f2_9685389.pdf
   

Cite this article

Latham, J. R. (1995).  Visioning: The Concept, Trilogy, and Process. Quality Progress, Apr 1995. Vol. 28, Iss. 4; p. 65-68.