This month, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a webinar with award-winning authors and continuous improvement colleagues Mark Graban, Karen Martin and THEE Elisabeth Swan. During our conversation, we delved into the pivotal question of What’s Next? for organizations navigating change and growth. That discussion sparked this blog, highlighting the importance of visioning, strategy and alignment in achieving organizational success. If you missed the webinar, you can watch it on YouTube here: Watch the Webinar.
Success in any organization doesn’t happen by chance—it results from intentional visioning, strategic planning, and alignment. These pillars create a clear roadmap that connects an organization’s mission, core values, and daily work to its long-term goals. Achieving this alignment requires committed and visionary leadership.
At the heart of this process is the ability to answer a crucial question: What’s Next?
Leadership’s Role in Aligning Vision, Mission and Strategy
Leaders are essential in ensuring the company’s vision, mission, core values and strategic plans are aligned and cascaded throughout the organization. When leaders take the time to clarify and communicate a shared vision, team members can “see themselves” in the vision and understand how their daily contributions drive the organization forward. This alignment fosters engagement, motivation and a collective sense of purpose.
At Intend Indiana, the President and CEO exemplify this approach. They understand the importance of clarifying the organization’s vision and guiding the team on “What’s Next?” During a collaborative effort with On To The Next One Consulting, we facilitated a Strategy and Alignment workshop that crafted a mission-focused, people-centric strategic vision. This workshop laid the foundation for developing Intend Indiana’s new five-year strategic plans. By aligning the goals of the four initiatives with the community's needs and the Intend Indiana team’s strengths, the leadership ensured everyone could see their role in the organization’s future success.
Why “Seeing Yourself” in the Vision Matters
The impact is profound when team members visualize how their work supports the overarching vision. This clarity leads to:
Enhanced Engagement: Employees who understand how their roles contribute to the mission are more motivated and invested in their work.
Improved Collaboration: Alignment creates a unified direction, reducing silos and encouraging teamwork.
Focused Execution: With a clear vision and strategy, team members can prioritize effectively and achieve measurable outcomes.
What’s Next for Visionary and Strategic Leaders
In the new year, I’ll host a complimentary and interactive webinar for not-for-profit leaders to discuss “What’s Next?” for their strategic priorities in 2025 and beyond. This session will focus on how to:
Develop inclusive, innovative and impactful strategic plans.
Equip teams to align their daily work with the organization’s vision.
Foster adaptability and innovation in an ever-changing landscape.
This is a remarkable opportunity to acquire practical strategies and exchange valuable insights with fellow leaders in the industry.
Join the Conversation
Are you ready to take your organization’s visioning, strategy and alignment to the next level? Click the link in the image below to express your interest in attending this webinar. We will examine strategies that will help your organization achieve lasting success. Let’s ensure that in 2025 and beyond, your organization’s “What’s Next?” is paved with clarity, purpose and alignment as you keep moving #OnToTheNextOne.
