How to Create a Leadership Vision Board
It’s the time of year when many of us get a little more reflective and a lot more ambitious. As we approach 2022, you’re probably planning and strategizing. You may be reflecting on where you’ve been this year, and where you want to go next year. We at Cynuria Consulting are big fans of using a vision board as a tool to help guide and inspire such goal setting.
What is a vison board?
A vison board is a visual collage that depicts a desired future state. Some individuals use vision boards for their personal dreams, to illustrate what they wish for their lives. These dreams can encompass relationships, career, family, hobbies, and travel. They can depict a concrete event or a more abstract general direction.
For leaders, a vison board can help to articulate a desired state for their division, office, or department in the year ahead. It can tie a big-picture vision and tangible goals to teams and individual employees. And it can even articulate micro-visions for workplace culture, succession planning, remote work, and DEI, for example.
Vision boards are different from a written strategic plan or list of goals. Their beauty lies in visualizing an intended state and using pictures, along with words, to depict both rational thought and sub-surface emotions. Vison boards are to be displayed in a prominent, visible location so that they continuously remind people of their dreams, keep them focused on achieving their goals, and feed their positive emotions concerning an overall vision.
Why are vision boards effective?
A couple of years ago Inc. reported that one in five successful entrepreneurs uses vision boards. Vision boards work due to the neuroplasticity of the brain—visualization is one of the most effective ways to rewire one’s brain.
According to the article, “the rewiring process harnesses two key components: mirror neurons and neural resonance. Mirror neurons are vital to the learning process and planning our actions, as well as understanding the intentions behind them. Neural resonance is involved in focus and problem-solving. Visualization can help us to rewire our brains resulting in greater access to ideas, solutions, and motivation.”
How can I create a vision board?
Now that you know what a vision board is and why it works, are you ready to make your own? Here’s a step-by-step process to follow when creating a vision board for your organization in 2022.
People. While you can easily create a vision board on your own, engaging your employees in the process encourages greater buy-in. You could form a vision board taskforce, convening internal stakeholders from various departments for short sessions over several weeks. Or you could dedicate time during a regularly scheduled all-staff meeting for organization-wide vision board creation.
Planning. First, determine what you want to achieve in the coming year. A vision board illustrates an ideal state. Don’t hold back; capture your organization’s biggest dreams for the months ahead. For example, who is your perfect client, what kinds of products and services do you wish to develop, and what is the desired culture you hope to create in 2022? Then, write down smaller, bite-sized goals related to these big-picture ambitions.
Creation. Will you create a digital vision board or a physical vision board? See the tools and templates below for examples of each. Start with images. Find meaningful pictures, graphics, and other visual elements to depict your vision and goals. Then add inspirational words, phrases, and quotes to fill in the gaps. Lastly, add decorative elements through drawing or other artistic expression. Ask people to volunteer for this step; some folks may enjoy the creative process more than others.
Reflection. Once your vision board is complete, choose a digital location where you will store it or a physical location where you will showcase it. Encourage staff to review the vision board at least weekly and use it in ongoing team meetings and check-ins. Draw attention to it throughout the year when you discuss organizational vision and goal achievement. And align individual performance targets and feedback conversations to the vision board, too.
Tools and Templates
There are many resources that can help you create a vision board for your business. We recommend you check out the free tools and templates below.
Vision Board Template & Example - Milanote
Vision Board Template | Editable PPT Template | Download Now (powerslides.com)
Free Product Vision Boards, Templates & Documents | Smartsheet
How can Cynuria Consulting help your organization achieve its wildest dreams? We deliver high-quality, innovative, and transformative human capital and learning solutions to our clients. Contact us today to learn how we can support your organization in achieving its vision in 2022.