The Emerald City: Defining the Vision

The other day in a meeting one of the very smart leaders at my organization described a project plan as lots of steps on a yellow brick road; but what he didn't see was the description of the Emerald City. He rightly recognized that the project, the team, and thus the people effected by the change, didn't have a clear vision of where we are going. This is the first and, I would argue, the most important step in embarking on a project and it is a critical step in Organizational Change Management. Whether it's a reorganization, a new technology migration, or just a website update, everyone on the project team must first understand why the project exists and define the vision of success.

Many organizations are great about requiring a project charter, which is very helpful in defining the vision for the project and why it exists. However, so often, the decision-making process doesn't involve the project team; the people implementing the change are handed a project and told what the budget and deadlines are, but not an explanation of why the project was implemented. Sometimes, in working with a project team on Organizational Change Management, I will ask this question and the answer I get is, "because the boss wants it done, and we have until X date to finish".

The problem with operating this way is that if your organization wants a change to be successful and to last over time, winning the hearts and minds of those effected is critical. The best way to begin that process is to paint a compelling picture of the Emerald City. People only want to go on a journey if there is a pay-off in the end. In addition, long and difficult journeys take hope. So, it can't just be any pay-off, it needs to be inspiring in some way.

You might be asking, "What's inspiring about a software update"? Well, making someone's job easier, quicker, less stressful, or more pleasant can all be inspiring. But success needs to be clearly defined and we need to educate people about what benefit they will see in the end. However, in the case of a truly transformative organizational change, the stakes are much higher and an exciting vision of success and how it will positively affect people, is critical.

If you start to get off-track, people aren't understanding, or aren't adopting your change, always go back to the vision. Don't get distracted by shiny objects on the path along the way. If the activity doesn't serve the shared vision, you shouldn't be doing it as a part of this project. That's how we get scope creep.

In addition, people get tired on difficult journeys so you may need to stoke hope on the way. Build into your change plan, times to celebrate milestones. People are always willing to go on if they see how far they have come and how well they are doing compared to where they started. Build in opportunities for delight and social connection as well. Humans are social creatures, and no one likes to go through change along. Lastly, make sure you communicate frequently about where you are at and how you are all "in it together". Also be sure to keep the connection strong between your project activities and the vision; communicate about how steps on the yellow brick road are leading directly to the Emerald City.