If Your Team Can’t See It, You’ll Never Reach It

Jun 2

Why vague visions kill momentum—and what to do instead

Let’s be real for a minute.

You’ve heard it a hundred times: “You need a vision.” But what does that actually mean in a small or mid-sized business where you’re wearing ten hats, juggling urgent priorities, and leading a team that’s already stretched thin?

Here’s the hard truth: having a vision isn't the problem. Articulating it clearly—so others can see it, believe in it, and act on it—is where most business owners fall short.

A fuzzy vision won’t get you anywhere

If you want your leadership team to rally behind you, they need to see what success actually looks like. Not just the vibe. Not just the ambition. The specifics.

Your team can’t follow a vision that only exists in your head. And if they can’t describe it, they definitely can’t help you achieve it.

Let’s look at an example:

❌ “We don’t want to reduce quality.”
✅ “The actual and perceived accuracy of our invoices and data will stay the same or improve.”

Both statements aim for the same outcome. But the second one gives people something to picture—and work toward. It’s vivid, specific, and grounded. That’s what you’re aiming for.

Two simple gut-checks for your vision

If you want your business goals to stick (and not get lost in the day-to-day chaos), run your vision through these two quick tests:

1. Can your team say it back to you?

Share your vision with your leadership team and ask them to describe it in their own words. If what comes back is vague or inconsistent, your vision needs work. Clarity isn’t optional—it’s fuel.

2. Can you measure it?

A real vision isn’t just inspirational—it’s trackable. In the example above, we used the following metrics to bring the objective to life:

% of invoices with repeat errors (system-tracked)
% of data entry errors and missing documents (manually measured)
% of staff who say invoice/data quality is “good” or better (via survey)

Why does this matter? Because what gets measured gets momentum. You can’t rally the team—or improve performance—around a mystery.

Here's how to put this into practice

Reality check your vision.
Ask three team members to describe it. If they give three different answers, go back and sharpen the language until it’s vivid and unified.
Build in the numbers.
You don’t need a dashboard for everything, but you do need a way to tell if you’re getting closer—or further—from the future you want.

Running a business isn’t about throwing out a vision and hoping it sticks. It’s about making the invisible visible—so your team can move confidently toward it.

Tim Ragan