What is a Vision Statement?
A vision statement is a pithy description of what you want your business, organization, or life to look like, if you actually achieve your goals. It is a snapshot of the future. Many people work at making their businesses successful, but, at best, have only a fuzzy idea about the future. Sure, they want more clients and more income, that’s success, right? But, too many people never really sit down and map it out. As they say, ‘If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.’ Where are you going? What do you want your business future to look like? It’s time to dream a little. What realistic, satisfying future can you conceive of that will get your juices flowing? That is your vision statement. The vision of my practice is to:
Become the Premier Wealth Manager in Our Market
Sound familiar? It’s the tag line for this blog. Now, I don’t necessarily want to become the biggest. And, certainly, I’d like to be the best. But, there is always someone out there who might be a little bit bigger, or a little bit better. Being the best is something to strive for, yes. However, it is not my primary objective. I want to be the exclusive, boutique, go-to practice for the most affluent clients in my area. I want joining my firm as a client to be the equivalent of getting accepted into the most desirable club in town. If you are with Senior Partners, you have arrived. No one does it like them.
Everyone knows that a glass ceiling can throw a wet rag on even the most ambitious person. Your advisors and support staff have desires and goals, too, and they hope to achieve them through your firm. Without a vision statement, they are forced to operate under a glass ceiling of ambiguity and failure. A vision statement removes the glass ceiling. It is a breath of fresh air for those suffocating in a job that has no future. When your team understands your vision, they can navigate for themselves, and carve out a future of their own.
“Without vision, the people perish.” – Proverbs 29:18
Without a defined goal, how can you tell whether you are succeeding? I struggled as an advisor until I finally sat down and determined my personal vision. Once I knew the definition of success via my vision statement, it became easy to evaluate my level of success and production and make adjustments as needed.
If an advisor is having trouble understanding the importance of a well thought out vision statement, they should try blindfolding themselves and working around the office like that for a few days. If you can’t see what you’re working towards, how can you asses the appropriateness of each activity?
To have a vision, you first must become a visionary. Noel has carved his niche with the Senior Partner’s clientele. The boutique firm concept provides the premier experience for the client and abundant opportunity for the Advisor. This is the vision we share.
Noel has told me many times that we are going places. When he says it, he is absolutely positive we are, and there are no doubts in his mind that, as long as God intends, we will be. He knows because he has a such a focused vision for where he wants us to go. My response to him now when he says that to me is, “Yes, we are!”
Although I am part of the Senior Partners team, I have a unique relationship with each client. I really care about him or her as a person and understand and empathize with their fears and concerns. I try to exude confidence and gain trust to make the whole money movement and allocation process a very pleasant experience. I know that the client is in excellent hands with Noel, and that the outcome will be successful.
Bigger is not necessarily better. Striving to give, not just average service but, great service is striving to be the best. We are striving to be the best!
Always keep the end in mind as you approach each and every task. “The big picture” is where you get the steam to keep moving.
I could not agree more with the Proverbs passage. The determination of your vision is sometimes difficult, but it is certain that without vision, listlessly wandering in the wilderness will be inevitable.
One of my favorite passages also centers around vision. “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; For it will certainly come, it will not delay.” Habakkuk 2:3. The beauty of a strong vision, of a yet unrealized goal, is the hope and the confidence that it affords those who move towards it.
It will be interesting as I proceed in learning in this new position to see how differently I will respond with deeper understanding of each subject matter. That being said, having a vision that is shared by everyone in this firm helps each person to stay mindful of what his/her part is in making this “vision” reality. Everyone working towards the same goal.
If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. – Antoine de Saint Exupery