Is my vision too big?
I’m starting a new series this October, answering reader questions on ethical dilemmas. I’m working hard for the moniker “the Brand Ethicist”. We ❤️ more questions! Submit yours to hello@brandthechange.org - we treat them confidentially unless you specify that you want your name publicly posted.
Dear Anne,
My company has a really big vision to reverse climate change. We're only just starting on our journey and have not yet made an impact. I feel like a fraud when I say our big vision out loud. Should I tone it down?
Dear conscientious founder,
In a world where everyone is screaming their giant purpose from the mountain tops without much thought, your hesitance is admirable.
Like for a lot of other important things in life, running offers great analogies.
I turned 42 this year and decided I wanted to try and run a marathon. I was scared to tell people about it. I would be really embarrassed if I failed.
Most companies announce their big purpose or vision as that marathon goal, and expect the world to applaud them even before they have set one foot out the door.
This can certainly be annoying.
But it is also really important for an audience to understand that you're not just running around - you're working towards something big.
First, I would balance out a big vision with a practical mission.
This is what we want the world to look like [insert vision...]
- and this is what we are going to do to get there [insert mission...].
Here are some examples of a combination of vision and mission that balances the grand with the practical:
[...] wants to see a world without electricity poverty
[...] is a solar light that enables people off the grid to have the energy and light they need to be productive
[...] wants to see 1 million people on Mars
[...] is building affordable mass space transport
Second, keep people up to date on how the training is going. Like a group of fans who cheer you on while you are training for your first 42K, give people updates along the way. Show what you are doing, what is going well, and where you are not hitting the training milestones you had hoped to run.
Chances are that if you are open honest and transparent, they will cheer you on even when you are not hitting your targets.