Chapter 9

Linking
Vision and
Change

McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2009 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Vision
Vision

Images of • Having a vision is often linked to why

Managing Change
successful organizational change is
Content of
Meaningful Vision
achieved
How Context
• Conversely, lack of vision is frequently
Affects Vision associated with organizational decline
Processes by • The role of vision in producing
which Vision
Emerges organizational change is linked to the
image one has of managing change
Failure of Vision
• Vision is commonly thought of as a guide
Debates linking
Vision and for the organization in identifying the
Change
appropriateness of particular changes that
Heroic Leaders or are proposed
Organizations

9-2
 Images of Managing Change
Vision Images Link Vision and Change

Images of Director Vision is something that is essential to producing successful

Managing Change organizational change. It should be articulated early on and it is
up to leaders to do this.
Content of
Meaningful Vision Navigator Vision is important but not necessarily able to be achieved
because of competing visions that exist among various
How Context organizational parties and stakeholders.
Affects Vision
Caretaker Vision is in many ways immaterial to the way change will
proceed. Change is rarely the outcome of visionary actions
Processes by
which Vision Coach Vision is something that is important and is more likely to
Emerges emerge through the facilitation skills of the change leader
interacting with his or her followers, shaping their agendas and
Failure of Vision desired futures.
Debates linking Interpreter Vision is the ability to articulate the inner voice of the
Vision and organization, that which is lived, be it core ideology or values,
Change and that underpins the identity of the organization.
Nurturer Vision is emergent from the clash of chaotic and unpredictable
Heroic Leaders or
change forces. Visions are likely to be temporary and always in
Organizations
the process of being rewritten.
9-3
 Content of Meaningful Vision
Vision

Images of • The content of meaningful vision has sparked

Managing Change considerable debate. Some consideration has
Content of
been given to attributes, its style, and how it is
Meaningful Vision differentiated from mission and organizational
values. Here are some examples:
How Context – Attributes of vision:
Affects Vision • cognitive component – focusing on achieving outcomes
• affective component – helping to motivate people and
Processes by increase commitment to the change (Boal & Hooijberg, 2001)
which Vision – Four generic characteristics of vision are:
Emerges
• Possibility
Failure of Vision • Desirability
• Actionability
Debates linking • Articulation (Nutt & Backoff, 1997)
Vision and – Three components of vision are:
Change • Why the change is needed
• The aim of the change
Heroic Leaders or • The change actions that will be taken (Pendlebury et al, 1998)
Organizations

9-4
 Content of Meaningful Vision
Vision

Images of • Vision as stories

Managing Change – This allows a vivid description of the change to
Content of
which people can relate. Stories are more effective
Meaningful Vision
than simple vision statements because people can
imagine themselves and their actions in the future.
How Context • Relationship to mission and goals
Affects Vision
– Vision is often confused with other terms such as
Processes by mission statements, goals and values
which Vision – Whereas vision usually paints a picture of the
Emerges
future and is inspirational, mission statements are
Failure of Vision more purposive and instrumental in outlining what
needs to be done.
Debates linking
Vision and
• Relationship of Vision to Market Strategy:
Change – It has been argued that having a well-specified
market vision such as this helps to identify how the
Heroic Leaders or company will grow and compete.
Organizations

9-5
 How Context affects Vision
Vision

Images of • There are four organizational contexts in

Managing Change terms of their ability to produce visionary
Content of change that should be considered. These are:
Meaningful Vision – Rigid organizations
How Context – Bold organizations
Affects Vision – Overmanaged organizations
Processes by – Liberated organizations
which Vision
Emerges
• A vision will “take” in an organization
depending on whether there is a contextual
Failure of Vision
“trigger” that alerts people to the need for a
Debates linking new vision.
Vision and
Change • The national and cultural context in which the
organization is embedded is also important.
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations

9-6
 Processes by which vision emerges
Vision

Images of
Managing Change
• There are a number of approaches to
creating vision which include:
Content of
Meaningful Vision – Crafting the vision: this can be either leader-
How Context dominated, pump-priming or facilitated
Affects Vision
– Questions that help to develop a vision: this
Processes by
which Vision
can be done through an intuitive, analytic or
Emerges benchmarking approach
Failure of Vision – Connecting the vision to the organization’s
Debates linking inner voice: this connects the vision to the
Vision and underlying values and beliefs that are held
Change
within the organization.
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations

9-7
 Failure of Vision
Vision

Images of
Managing Change
• Visions can fail for a number of reasons
Content of
including being:
Meaningful Vision – too specific
How Context – too vague
Affects Vision
– inadequate
Processes by
which Vision – too unrealistic (Pendlebury et al., 1998)
Emerges

Failure of Vision
• A vision must be able to adapt over time
Debates linking • A dominant vision will be one that
Vision and
Change outlasts others that may be present
Heroic Leaders or within the organization.
Organizations

9-8
 Debates linking Vision and Change
Vision

Images of
Managing Change
• There are three key debates that
Content of link vision and change.
Meaningful Vision

How Context
– Does vision drive change or
Affects Vision emerge during change?
Processes by
which Vision – Does vision help or hinder change?
Emerges
– Is vision an attribute of heroic
Failure of Vision

Debates linking
leaders or of heroic organizations?
Vision and
Change

Heroic Leaders or
Organizations

9-9
 Heroic Leaders or Organizations
Vision

Images of • Is Vision an Attribute of Heroic Leaders or of

Managing Change Heroic Organizations?
– Vision Is an Attribute of Heroic Leaders: Some
Content of
Meaningful Vision
writers claim that successful strategic organizational
change will only occur when it is led effectively.
How Context Charismatic leaders secure images in their followers
Affects Vision and enact their visions through four processes:
• Framing
Processes by
which Vision
• Scripting
Emerges • Staging
• Performing
Failure of Vision
– Vision Is an Attribute of Heroic Organizations: It is a
Debates linking visionary company that will last the distance,
Vision and irrespective of its leadership. Vision consists of a
Change core ideology which defines what the organization
stands for – it becomes the core purpose and
Heroic Leaders or envisioned future of the organization.
Organizations

9-10