Dorothy Kudla is the founder of Full Circle Connections and author of the book Six Functions, One Vision. She helps modern leaders simplify leadership, build alignment and drive results.
If you lead a team of smart, talented, hardworking people, yet the work often feels scattered, reactive and draining, with little sense of progress or purpose, you’re not alone.
Today’s workplace is a minefield of shifting priorities, shrinking budgets and constant change. Teams are asked to deliver more, move faster and stay engaged, all while navigating hybrid schedules and limited time for real thinking or connection.
What teams need isn’t more hustle. It’s a vision.
Not a corporate one, but a team vision that clarifies direction, sets shared priorities, motivates and enables individuals to make independent decisions and problem solve. A broad corporate statement, such as “To be the most innovative provider of sustainable energy solutions,” often doesn’t translate meaningfully to a team’s daily work.
Don’t get stuck on the word vision. Call it whatever you want, purpose, direction, focus, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that it cuts through the noise and guides every choice, conversation and trade-off.
The illusion of alignment
I’ve worked with hundreds of teams that thought they had a shared vision until they each tried to articulate it.
One of my clients said, “My team is full of brilliant, hardworking people, but we’re spinning our wheels. No matter how much we do, real progress is elusive.”
At an off-site, we asked each team member to rate the team’s strengths and weaknesses across several key areas, including a clear vision. Almost everyone marked vision as a strength. But when I asked them to individually write it in one or two sentences, it took a surprising amount of time and discomfort to draft an answer.
When they read their statements aloud, it was clear: every person had a different idea of what the team was actually working toward.
That moment of honest reflection revealed what was really behind the scattered priorities and slow decision-making: the absence of a truly shared vision.
Try it yourself
Ask each of your team members to write your team’s vision in one or two sentences. Then have them read it aloud.
If the answers are vague, misaligned or filled with corporate jargon, you’ve got your answer: your team doesn’t have a shared vision.
How to craft a team vision
There are many ways to create a vision, but consider the “Four Cs of Visioning” for a simple, comprehensive framework:
1. Create – Brainstorm ideas, discern, prioritize and craft a draft.
2. Connect – Link the draft to the organization’s strategy and culture.
3. Communicate – Test the vision and get buy-in.
4. Cultivate – Make it part of everyday decisions and planning.
A team vision doesn’t need to be shared beyond the team or resonate with anyone else. It needs to be real, motivating and meaningful.
The power of a vision
I once worked with a talented and hardworking marketing team that was consistently overwhelmed. Campaign launches, although on time, were high-stress and chaotic, leaving everyone drained.
With their leader, we led the team through a visioning process. They brainstormed, debated, surfaced values and aspirations and eventually landed on a concise, powerful statement:
“We are a creative engine that drives consumer engagement and brand loyalty.”
After the session, the leader wove the vision into daily work, asking: “Will this decision drive better engagement?” or “How will this build brand loyalty?”
Over time, the team began using the vision themselves to sharpen priorities. Trade-offs were easier. Morale improved and chaos lessened because the team gained a shared understanding of what mattered, and every action and conversation filtered through that lens.
The vision statement doesn’t have to be fancy. Some of the best are short, gritty, aspirational and clear enough to guide decisions.
And that’s the point. A team vision isn’t a motivational poster; it’s a practical tool.
It shows up in meetings, including one-on-ones. In decisions. In trade-offs. It lives in the work.
You don’t need a corporate retreat to define your team’s vision. You need a straightforward process and the space to think intentionally.
In my book Six Functions, One Vision, I guide leaders on how to create a vision that’s not only inspiring but also useful, one that helps teams make better decisions, navigate change and reconnect with purpose.
But for now, here’s the simplest place to start:
Ask your team: “What are we really here to do?”
If the answers vary, you’ve found your opportunity.
This column is part of Globe Careers’ Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here.