The Elements of Successful LeadershipThe Elements of Successful Leadership Vision: Is What You See...

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Vision, the lofty ideal and sought-afterdream, the key to success that it is, isno simple matter to define. One pointof view holds that the magnitude of thediscrepancy between the future goaland the present circumstances is theyardstick for how exceptional andextraordinary the vision is. The authorsof this paper contend that too wide adiscrepancy between the vision and thereality might yield a counter-productive mission statement for theorganization. The more prevalent andpractical view is that the vision mustbe based on reality, while striving fora better future. If a leader is to elicitenthusiasm and draw his followersafter him, then, as G. Yukl defines it,“the genius of the leader is to articulatea vision simple enough to beunderstood, appealing enough to evokecommitment and credible enough to beaccepted as realistic and attainable.”

The Qualities of VisionVision is the organization’s missionstatement, its primary values, reflectingthe expectations and interests of theleader as well as the followers, and

articulating “a common caring” of theorganization’s members. The leader mustascertain that the members are familiarwith the vision and are motivated tocontribute to the general good of theorganization. It is the role of the leaderto conceive and articulate this vision,embodying the goals of the organization,and to be aware of the needs andexpectations of the people involved andthe environment around him. To enhancethe organization’s effectiveness, theleader has to believe in this vision andits feasibility and to tailor the vision tothe attributes of the organization’smembers and the environment.

Drs. Bogler and Nir examine thecharacteristics of the leaders, the

followers and the environment andthe interaction between them todetermine the factors that enhance ordeter successful goal-setting andachievement. It is at the crossroadsbetween the essence of the visiondefined, the personality traits of theleader, the attributes of the followersand the nature of the environment thatthe organization can either rise or fall.

Leadership PatternsThe researchers delineate four typesof leadership orientations. The leadermay be “detached,” in which case theleader may define a mission statementthat is detached from the realities ofhis followers and the community,rendering the vision irrelevant andineffective. The leader may be inward-oriented and biased toward attendingto the interests of his followers,developing a relationship so close tohis operational staff that it precludestaking the necessary decisions todevelop his vision in accordance withthe interests of the community. Theleader may be outward-oriented, andbe so attentive to community demandsthat he cannot accomplish his visiongiven his intra-organizationalcircumstances and demands.

The researchers provide examples fromthe educational system. A schoolprincipal who is inward-oriented maywish to respond to the interest of thecommunity in incorporating newtechnologies and instruction methods,but may be excessively influenced bythe resistance of teachers and lagbehind in the necessary development.A principal who is outward-orientedmay attempt to implement projects thatwere successful in other schools, butdoes not take into account thelimitations of school staffqualifications or motivation. The“attentive” leader takes intoconsideration the characteristics of

The Elements of SuccessfulLeadershipVision: Is What You See What You Get?Vision is the essence of leadership, essential for organizational effectivenessand success, used as a major leadership tool in enlisting its members towardsthe defined objective, and focused on the constructive role of the organizationwithin its environment. A study by Dr. Ronit Bogler of the Department ofEducation and Psychology of the Open University of Israel and Dr. AdamE. Nir of the School of Education at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem,published in the Journal of Leadership Studies, examines the dynamics of thatleadership. It looks at the three critical components involved in making thatvision work: the leader (the head of the organization), the members of theorganization (staff) and the environment in which they function (thecommunity), to determine how their orientation and interaction contribute tothe implementation of the vision, the realization of objectives and the successof the organization.

Vision and Leadership

An organization whoseleader misjudges orignores any or all of thethree essentials ofleadership may fail toeffectively fulfill itsmission.

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both the followers and the environmentand implements his vision in harmonywith the relevant essentials.

An organization whose leadermisjudges or ignores any or all of thethree essentials of leadership may failto fulfill its mission effectively.Naturally, the vision defined by theleader would have to correspond to hisown set of characteristics, style,capabilities, competence, intelligenceand scope of knowledge in the tasks tobe performed.

Staff TraitsThe leader may find he is limited bythe character traits of his staff.Important factors in enlisting theircooperation may be the level of theirpsychological maturity, their abilityand willingness to confront obstaclesand complexities; their job maturity,the ability or competence to performany kind of professional activitydemanded by the job; the level ofmotivation; and their ability to copewith multiple goals, deal with long-term commitment and face abstract andambiguous missions.

The EnvironmentThe environment may be homogeneousand easier to cope with, or may beheterogeneous, ranging from dynamic,to diverse, to turbulent. In a turbulent,unstable environment, with a high rate

of change, the ability of the leader toset multiple goals and long-rangemissions is constrained. Underturbulent circumstances, missionstatements should delineate exactlywhat is to be done, how and when.

Dynamic Vision inChanging EnvironmentsLeadership and vision are dynamic andrequire ongoing harmony. One schoolprincipal says:“You talk about vision. I came to thisschool with a vision of a school withthe highest standards of conduct,academic attainment and sportingachievement. I drew a staff around mewho believed in that vision as much asI did and within a few years we hadmade that dream a reality. The visionwas communicated to the town throughour performance. We were respected,appreciated and understood by thewhole community.”

“When in the early 70s they began tomake us a comprehensive school I triedto create a vision of the new school,but I couldn’t. It did not fit either withmy beliefs or with those of mylongstanding colleagues. We wentthrough the motions of organizationand rhetoric but what developed was ashadow of the former school… Myretirement was a happy release. Mysuccessor believed wholeheartedly insuch schools and except for a few

departures convinced the staff of itsvalue and purpose.”

The Key to Achievement:Reality-Based, Dynamic,Harmonious VisionWarns Dr. Bogler, “It may cause moreharm than good when an articulatedvision, detached from reality, becomesan illusion, fashioned to fit an idealizedimage of a non-existent entity, thuslosing its potential to serve as a guidingand leading force for those associatedwith the mission. Impossible missionscan result in indifference and lack ofmotivation, whereas step-by-stepsuccesses bolster the motivationfor further successes. A competentprincipal who has the capability toarticulate a vision that incorporatesevery sector’s concern is someone whowill most likely gain the appreciationof members both within and outside ofthe organization. The articulation andon-going refinement of a relevant andagreed-upon vision is critical to theeffective operation of the organization– and is essential for today’s modern,dynamic school systems.”

Vision and Leadership

Pied Piper leadership by Yirmi Leza