Leadership Quote: Vision Without Action

This month’s leadership quote:

“Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world.”

-Joel A. Barker

When leaders focus solely on vision and strategy and not on action, put simply, nothing gets done. Successful leaders know that a vision is a destination that their team can rally around. They also know that while the vision is their job, it is a team effort to develop a strategy for getting there.

At the same time, once the vision and strategy are defined, results only happen with implementation. And only succeed with the monitoring and evaluation that follows.

In my experience, leaders who see their only job as generating the big ideas and abdicate their leadership role when it comes to execution are dreaming.

At the same time, action without vision just passes the time. Vision gives us and our teams direction; it enables us to make choices and to focus. Without it, we are only left with activities that may or may not lead to results.

Bring it all together, Vision with action can change the world.

Elisa K. Spain