Understanding the Demonic Nature of Vision

Critical Factor of Innovative Organisations No. 2

So, what is vision?

Vision is:

• A clear and detailed picture of what should be achieved. www.booksites.net/download/chadwickbeech/Glossary.htm

• A powerful vision that provides everyone in the organisation with a shared mental framework that gives form to an often abstract future. An effective vision describes what the organisation intends to become ultimately - this may happen five, ten, or fifteen years into the future. This description should not be abstract - it should contain as concrete a picture of the desired state as possible, which creates the basis for formulating strategies and objectives. www.balancedscorecard.biz/Glossary.html

It sounds like vision is good for individuals, communities, enterprises, and nations at large.

However, there is a demonic aspect to vision.

Vision is:

• Undemocratic, as it rejects all other competing but equally compelling visions.
• Dimensional, since it disables the seer beyond its boundaries.
• Harmonious, which sanctions alternative discourses.
• Unidirectional, which produces herding instincts.
• A fallacy in today’s uncertain time, space and location.

I am not saying that we throw vision out of the window. It does help to align the thinking, resourcing and actions to create a game plan to win in a specific scenario.

However, when the vision restricts an individual, community, enterprise, and nation to other possibilities, innovation can be affected.

Innovative organisations are those which understand that there is another face to vision. Innovative organisations encourage their people to challenge their own visions and allow them to create manifestations of vision other than their dominant ones.

Here are the links for the other critical factors of innovative organisations:

• No 1. Purpose Driven Organisation

• No 3. Risks of Playing No Games & Being Off the Board

• No 4. Fearless Organisation Environment

• No 5. Openness is in the Eradication of Fantasies

• No 6. System of Authentic Sharing

• No 7. Human Resource Investment Is Not About Spending But Creating Opportunities for Learning

• No 8. Stun-gunning Your Organisation into Inventiveness

• No 9. Focus on the True Purpose of Celebrating Success and Contribution

• No 10. Fully Appreciating the True Meaning of an Innovative Team

This article was first written on 15 Feb 2007 and updated on 9 Feb 2010.

Copyright 2007 and 2010. Anthony Mok. All Rights Reserved.