The Vision Code: How to Create and Execute a Compelling Vision for Your Business
By Oleg Konovalov
With a foreword by Marshall Goldsmith
Published by Wiley, January 2021
Hardcover and e-book, priced £18.99/ US$24.95
ISBN: 9781119775911
POWERFUL VISION INSPIRES OTHERS
A Step-By-Step Process For Leaders To Define And Achieve One’s Vision
Vision is essential to successful leadership but is often misunderstood and poorly conceived. In THE VISION CODE: How To Create And Execute A Compelling Vision For Your Business, leadership expert and acclaimed global thought leader Oleg Konovalov explains what visionary leadership consists of and where its value lies.
THE VISION CODE illuminates the process of defining and following through on a vision, which will become increasingly important as the pace of change accelerates. Compelling stories and examples from leaders across industries and geographies underscore its importance. Having a vision and being able to a make it a reality differentiates leaders from managers. When there is no vision, no amount of effort or money can help. With vision, real change can be achieved.
“Vision creates the fertile ground on which we build the future. How we create a productive and prosperous space – for all stakeholders, employees, customers, partners and future users of this ecosystem – depends on visionary leaders,” says Konovalov.
As Konovalov explains, vision is a key leadership skill that can be developed as a practical business tool for leading a company today and into the future. He spoke with nineteen global leaders who reveal how to develop and follow through with the vision in order to inspire an entire workforce. When a leader taps into the power of vision, he or she creates a more meaningful business experience and ultimately, a better life.
The book:
- Offers a guide for making the concept of vision a reality
- Provides the information needed to develop a clear and persuasive vision
- Contains an accessible guide to a much-needed skill
- Includes interviews with Marshall Goldsmith; Martin Lindstrom; Garry Ridge, Chairman and CEO of WD-40 Company; Alex Goryachev, Managing Director at Cisco Innovation Centers; H.E. Ms. Sania A. Ansari, Chairperson at Ansari Group Ltd; and many others
Through comprehensive research and real-life practice, Konovalov demystifies vision and presents it as a practical business tool. A leader’s capability to turn vision into a reality directly depends on well-developed leadership traits and competencies. Self-awareness, emotional intelligence, learning, courageous thinking, and self-discipline, all come into play. Facing unchartered territories and being prepared to lead people to a desired destination demands consistent growth. Vision is the foundation for success at any stage of an organization’s lifecycle. It is the most reliable tool for leading people to the prospective future. However, it is not automatic. It demands discipline of the mind and structured actions towards achievement of the goal.
Execution is a continuous process of activities, inputs and outcomes. Every stage demands feedback loops and evaluation of progress. This allows the organization to remain agile, improving and strengthening all processes, controlling its development, make appropriate decisions and put them into action.
THE VISION CODE defines four stages of a vision’s development:
- Creation Why vision is important, how it comes about and what is needed to create it
- Making Vision Strong The core criteria, elements and characteristics of a vivid vision and how leaders should prepare themselves for reaching new heights
- Execution How to make vision a reality and turn it into a practical business tool
- Visionary You How visionaries think and recommendations for everyday use
Vision directly guides decision-making within a straightforward logical chain – compelling vision, comprehensive strategy, focused execution, and clear metrics. This chain is constantly revolving in a closed loop. Every phase of this loop is a chain of decisions which either feed it or snap it beyond recovery. Thus, decisions must be grounded both in the present reality and the future vision.
As a business tool, vision is a process that can be defined by the acronym CAVIAR:
- Clarity Clarity of the goal and how to make it a reality defines the strength of a vision
- Ability A leader’s capability to turn vision into a reality directly depends on well-developed leadership traits and competencies
- Viability A vision’s viability can be checked against six criteria – stimulus, scale, scanning, spotlight, simplicity, and excitement
- Influence The greater the vision, the greater the need for strong and far-reaching influence
- Acting Visionary leadership requires action and results
- Revitalising A compelling vision creates a positive impact at every stage of development
Questionnaires and self-assessment tools throughout the book enable the principles to be used immediately. Filled with insights and real-world examples, THE VISION CODE presents a rich, multidimensional view of organizational and personal growth that will expand and enhance any leader’s perspective.
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The Vision Code will be available wherever books and ebooks are sold.
About the Author
Dr. Oleg Konovalov is a thought leader, author, business educator, consultant, and coach with over 25 years of experience operating businesses and consulting with Fortune 500 companies both in the UK and internationally.
Konovalov is on the Thinkers50 radar, has been recognized as #1 Global Thought Leader on Culture by Thinkers 360, and is #1 Global Leading Coach (Marshall Goldsmith Thinkers50).
Having been named ‘the da Vinci of Visionary Leadership’ by many leading authorities of our time, Konovalov is helping companies to create and execute their vision, diagnose and treat organizational diseases, maintain a strong productive corporate culture and achieve superior business performance.
His research identifies entrepreneurs’ and managers’ strategic needs in the areas of corporate culture, leadership, and he uses corporate diagnostics, in order to enable them to drive their companies to success.
Konovalov received his doctoral degree from the Durham University Business School. He is a visiting lecturer at a number of business schools, a Forbes contributor, and an in-demand speaker at major conferences around the world.
For more information, please visit www.OlegKonovalov.com.
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