This is a response to Sea Breeze’s original post found here:
Thank you, Sea Breeze, for a great post to conclude our Strategic Leadership course. It has been very insightful to be able to participate with everyone’s journey in Leadership. Sea Breeze mentioned three strategic competencies to be implemented at work: Strategic Planning, Vision, and Strong Moral Base. My post will be responding to Sea Breeze’s description of Vision and expand on the idea of Visualization.
Sometimes the term Vision and Visualization is used interchangeably and I believe it is incorrect. Hughes et al. (2014) suggest a vision represents a view of what the organization (or a department, group, or other unit) can and should become (pg. 74). The vision of an organization is usually an expression of aspiration and is related to the organization’s purpose and core values. The act of developing a vision is termed visioning. According to Hughes et al. (2014, pg. 77), effective visioning requires strategic thinking to:
- Express ideals and values (not just short-term goals or mere tactics)
- Affirm the human dimension (not just financials)
- Put the organization’s story in a meaningful context that connects members to its core identify
- Clarify expectations about the kind and amount of desired growth
- Describe key drivers of change
Visioning can be described as an inside-out process where an organization or individual is considering the potential future, where it is uncertain and undefined (Payne, T., 2015).
Visualization is a process starting with the goal of what an individual or an organization is trying to achieve and it is the mental practice of going through the imaginary steps required to achieve this goal in a vivid mental state. The process of visualization is described as an outside-in process, where the goal is already defined but to rehearse how to get there (Payne, T., 2015).
The most decorated Olympic Champion of all time is an American swimmer, Michael Phelps. Phelps has won, to date, a total of 28 medals in both individual and team events, of which 23 of them are Gold medals from 2004 – 2016 (Sousa, G., 2017). To put things to perspective, the next athlete with the most medals won in Olympics is Larisa Latynina from the Soviet Union, competing in Gymnastics, with 18 medals won. Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman, has been an advocate of the concept of visualization and how it helped Phelps in his races. Here is how Bowman describes it in the article by Gallo, C. (2016):
“For months before a race Michael gets into a relaxed state. He mentally rehearses for two hours a day in the pool. He sees himself winning. He smells the air, tastes the water, hears the sounds, sees the clock.” Phelps take visualization one step further. He sees himself from the outside, as a spectator in the stands. He sees himself overcoming obstacles, too. For example, what would he do if he fell further behind in a race than he intended? Phelps practices all potential scenarios.”
Bowman further describes Phelp’s process and how Vision and Visualization work together. Bowman suggests Vision and Visualization are “two sides of the same coin” and it is important for any leader and individual who wants to achieve peak performance (Gallo, C., 2016). I want to echo on Sea Breeze’s point on the importance of vision and how that can be implemented in her teaching and leading. I also want to point out the importance of visualization, especially when Sea Breeze mentioned about being a coach for swimming. When both techniques can be used effectively, it will greatly influence the desired outcome.
References:
Gallo, C., (2016, May 24). 3 Daily Habits Of Peak Performers, According To Michael Phelps’ Coach. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2016/05/24/3-daily-habits-of-peak-performers-according-to-michael-phelps-coach/
Hughes, R. L., Beatty, K., & Dinwoodie, D. L. (2014). Becoming a strategic leader: Your role in your organization’s enduring success. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Paybe, T., (2015, April 26). Visualization vs. Visioning: The Difference. Huffington Post. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/tova-payne/visualization-vs-visionin_b_7145140.html
Sousa, G., (2017, April 25). Greatest Athletes In Olympic History – Who Has Won The Most Gold Medals? World Atlas. Retrieved from https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-top-athletes-of-the-olympics-who-won-the-most-gold-medals.html