Is your vision and buy-in aligned?
In 2009, the ALW Calendar Company was established with the mission of annually publishing calendars that highlighted 365 days of Memphis history. So much was learned from the venture. The biggest lesson was to always ensure vision and buy-in are aligned. At the time, they were not. The company was created to honor the work of the late Arthur Webb, genealogist and historian - my dad.
Talk about taking someone else's vision and trying to buy into it. An effective leader can never see maximized success if the buy-in of a vision does not exist. Most importantly, if the leader never buys in. Honestly, looking back, I created a vision for a company, but was not completely sold on its mission. The vision existed, but the buy-in was not present. My dad was the history enthusiast. I was just a daddy's girl that missed her daddy dearly and confused my desire for his work to live on with the need to start a business. I can appreciate history, but am not passionate about it as my dad was. In that, I miscalculated my steps and the amount of grit required to fully maximize the success of the ALW Calendar Company never matched the vision. The vision and buy-in were never parallel.
10 years and 2 businesses later, the vision and buy-in are now aligned. The difference is extremely apparent. The strategy is more intentional. Challenges do not halt the execution of the vision, yet create opportunities for adjustments and growth. Thus, The Greater You Leadership Series now exists.
As you continue with your existing venture or contemplate beginning a new one to lead, be sure that what you see is what you embrace and are truly bought into. The resources (be it people or things) around you that you lead, heavily depend on that alignment. You will lead more effectively because of that alignment.
Stay tuned for more from The Greater You Leadership Series. You will want to be apart of what vision, purpose and buy-in look like when they collide. Stop by our website and see how you can engage with us on your journey of leadership: www.thegreateryouleadership.com.