Have you explained why you want your vision?

Unlcear imageOften when I see a school vision, what stands out is that it doesn’t tell anyone why it is wanted, a bit like that picture it’s unclear.  I think we sometimes think people will just know, or that it’s not important, but it’s crucial!

If you don’t tell people why, they will struggle to buy in because telling people why you want it tells them your motivation, which is really telling them if your intentions are honourable, and honourable to them in their view of the world.  If it is, they’re more likely to want to help, and if not, then your vision isn’t going to motivate them.  If you don’t tell them, then they can just be ‘meh’ about it and that’s not good if you’re serious about achieving your vision.

I worked with a wonderful leadership team whose vision came down to this:

‘We open the doors of opportunity for our children.’

They had many examples of what this meant and these show why they wanted to do this:  because they wanted to give their children better lives than they might otherwise have. 

Top tip:  Answer this question:  Why do you want your vision?  Write it down, video it, voice record it, whatever works for you, but spend at least 30mins on this.  If you feel like you can’t say anymore, try to keep thinking and talking, and you might be surprised by what comes out.

About the Author

Sonia Gill is founder of Heads Up, specialising in supporting Head Teachers and School Leaders create an outstanding school culture. https://ukheadsup.com

photo credit: Christopher Jeffries via photopin cc