Sometimes in business, it feels like the mission has stalled and/or the company is directionally running off course. While business has ebb and flow, all leaders must regularly re-evaluate if the company is showing symptoms that the vision may be outdated. If the current vision isn’t generating the desired outcome, use the opportunity to reimagine what is possible for the brand. Take inventory of the resources that are readily available, including the consumer base, and every person who has a direct impact on the success of the business as a whole. Here is a five-step checklist for business leaders who are looking to recast a vision for company growth.
Understand Who the Consumer is
There are many ways to gauge the pulse of your current or potential customer base. By having a pulse on that customer base, leaders will have a guide that brings attention to who the customer is, where they are, what their needs are and how they wish to be communicated with. This information should be used to formulate the vision direction as to who it needs to be successful for. By beginning with the consumer in mind, this reveals what is and is not relevant to your end user with time to adjust accordingly. This can include qualitative and quantitative research into your customer base through the process of creating a focus group. What is learned can be a huge indicator that it’s time to recast the vision, if it’s clearly outdated to not only the consumer, but to the internal team. Leaders need to take the time to inquire, listen and respond to the feedback gained from their people. From the customer, to anyone who works to support the brand, this insight can reveal where there is opportunity to improve and serve as a guide for decision-making. All of this intel is used to recast what the new vision can be.
Reimagine what can be Made Possible for the Brand with its People in Mind
Business leaders will need to lean into the creative opportunity available in front of them, as they reimagine what can be done for the brand and the people connected to it. When one is looking to change the direction of the business, they need to remind themselves who it’s ultimately for. Take into consideration all the stakeholders and the people who will feel the impact of what a new message could look, sound and feel like. Ensuring that the vision of the reimagined brand makes good financial business sense for both the customer and the franchisee is where it starts. This includes not limiting the recast of the vision. Consider all of the possibilities, even the ones that you think may not be attainable immediately.
Build up the Right Team
Building and creating the right team around your company’s values can be the most effective ways to cast a new vision. A transitional or pivotal time for the company can serve as a clear indicator if the right people are in the right seats. While it’s one thing to have a healthy mix of people with different perspectives, skillsets and abilities to drive the company forward, it’s another to have those same people who believe in what is trying to be established. You may come to find that not everyone is a cultural fit for where the brand is headed. However, the right people will want to be a part of the forward-looking change. Allow those people to play a bigger role in the recasting of the business and direction to get the brand to the next level. This includes internal and external key partners, vendors and committees to help drive the vision forward. Once the team is created with the right people who are willing to work toward the big picture end goal, solution-driven ideas will begin to flourish from the aligned, creatively-diverse team.
Mold the Research into Buy-In
Put in the effort to see what other competitors in your industry are doing and see what you can do better. Research what works and what has not worked, and listen to what other leaders have done that have led to a recasting of their image. Gather information from people who have a stake in the success of the business, and really listen to their ideas and feedback. Once gathered, it’s on the business leader to pull everything together and shape it into the new vision and direction. From there, it’s crucial to get buy-in from all parties and the team to make sure everyone is aligned on the new direction and on the same page. These buy-in meetings are key to effectively communicate the plan and how it will be executed. When the entire team understands and believes in what’s next, there is more unity that unlocks what needs to be done to accomplish the goal ahead.
Push the Vision into Motion
Once you have a handle on where the company, its people and consumers are at, the leaders have what they need to move forward. Having a complete understanding from an organizational level allows for easier transition. Make sure everyone, from top to bottom, understands the direction and purpose. Make sure it is not just a “one-and-done” understanding for your team, make sure the new vision and its values are always being pushed. With buy-in and the right people in place, leaders can provide the blueprint and set short and long-term goals. This can include mile markers on what steps and phases are required to get everyone there. Together, a better brand is being built with intention and consumers in mind.
Susan Boresow, CEO and President of Massage Heights, an elevated massage and wellness franchise dedicated to elevating the lives of others. For more information about Massage Heights and franchising opportunities, visit: https://www.massageheightsfranchise.com/#~17C2z51 .
