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Without vision people fail. OH Jin-Heyk is the number one archer in the world. He is the first Korean male archer to win an Olympic individual gold medal and his team took third place in the 2012 summer Olympics. Still, if you took OH Jin-Heyk and spun him around and blindfolded him, he would miss the target every time.

How could he be expected to hit a target he cannot see? Even the greatest archer in the world needs vision to hit the bull’s-eye. Too many companies are trying to hit a target while metaphorically blindfolded. They are working without seeing the target in their mind’s eye. A vision of success is sharp and clear and the end result can be seen in its entirety. At successful companies, every employee understands the vision and can use it to determine their daily course of action.

Vision is the very thing that causes people to follow with passion. Still, a company with a clear vision but no clear path to get there has nothing more than a dream.

A strategy must be developed and then followed to accomplish a goal or objective. However, while vision requires strategy, strategy alone is not vision. Visions are realized over time, they show progress, while dreams are always distant.

With Solavei, I saw many people’s lives being positively impacted by shifting commerce into something affordable and even profitable for members. I saw the components it would take to make this vision a reality. Back in October 2011, I wrote the vision down on paper and created the first Solavei vision video. When we look at where we are today and the work we are doing at Solavei, I see we are fulfilling the vision from two years ago. Each day, we are building the strategic elements to positively impact millions of lives and make this vision a reality.

Where will your vision lead you? Do you have a clearly defined target and path to get there?

The post Without Vision Leaders Will Not Succeed appeared first on Ryan Wuerch.

Key elements of communication between a leader and an employee:

• Understanding: Ensure that your employee is receiving what he or she needs and that the work is what the employee feels confident completing. Get to know the strengths and interests of your employees and you will be better able to arrange them in the most effective way possible.
• Appreciation: This comes from consistent affirmation of the importance of the work done by the employee, by a clear explanation of what is needed and by the expression of how each employee’s work is part of a bigger accomplishment that could not be done without them.
• Leadership: As a leader, communicating by example of leadership is imperative. Your employees are looking to you to understand the goals, direction and feeling of the company. As a leader you must embody the values of the company and communicate this through your actions and words.

Key elements of communication between a company and the audience:

• Meaning: Consumers are looking for a reason to buy your product or service. You need to have a clear differentiating message to your consumers explaining your mission and value. How will your product or service benefit them?
• Personality: What is your company voice? What words do you use to talk about a topic? Determine the personality and character of your company voice and then stick with it! People naturally connect with voices they can relate to. Consistency is important.

Weaving these subtle messages into general everyday communication takes practice. Remember, employees are just like you. When you become a leader of a company, you will have a responsibility to present yourself in a certain manner, but you should still be able to empathize where an employee is coming from as well. After all, at one point you were in their shoes, so carry their heart with you at all times.

The post The Subtle Art of Effective Communication appeared first on Ryan Wuerch.