The Journey
A newsletter for chapter advisors, chapter officers, and
regional officers.
October 2000
Issue
Turning Your Vision into Action!
A new academic term lies before you. You’re brimming with ideas for your chapter. So, now what? How do you get your members fired up about your vision for the upcoming year?
“Leaders breathe life into their visions,” explain James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner in their article, “Enlist Others: Attracting People to Common Purposes,” from Unit Two of the Phi Theta Kappa Leadership Development Studies text.
According to Kouzes and Posner, “Leaders communicate their hopes and dreams so that others clearly understand and accept them as their own. Leaders know what motivates their constituents. They show others how their values and interests will be served by the long-term vision of the future.”
Organizing successful projects for your chapter will require teamwork. Therefore, it is important for team members to share common goals. Remember, trying to force your vision on others will get you nowhere. You’ve got to share your vision in such a way that others want to participate.
You must also be sincere in your own belief in your vision. None of these suggestions will be of any value whatsoever if you do not believe in what you are saying. According to Kouzes and Posner, “In order to move others to share the vision, leaders must (1) appeal to a common purpose, (2) communicate expressively and (3) sincerely believe in what they are saying.”
Find a Common Purpose
Get to know the talents, dreams, values, and needs of your fellow team members. “No matter how grand the dream of the individual visionary, if others do not see in it the possibility of realizing their own hopes and desires, they will not follow it,” say Kouzes and Posner.
Even the most enthusiastic leader cannot get great things done unless teamwork exists in the organization. You want each member to have a positive experience through their Phi Theta Kappa activities, so be willing to listen to the ideas of your team members. Don’t allow yourself to become a dictator.
Once a common purpose has been established, be sure to maintain a steady course. Butch Oxendine, a Phi Theta Kappa alumnus and author of “Plan Not to Fail” from the Student Leader magazine, reminds leaders to keep their eyes on the organization’s purpose. Schedule checkpoints where you can examine your plan of action. Are your activities fulfilling your chapter’s mission?
Express Yourself
“As people become more diverse, leaders must learn how to communicate with them as individuals if a vision is to be shared, a cohesive group is to be formed, and a goal to be achieved,” explains Wanda Herndon in her article, “New Aspects of Leadership” from the Student Leader web site at www.studentleader.com. She emphasizes that each team member is important and can contribute something to the mission. “Despite differences in opinions, the leaders and followers can work together to complement each other as they move toward the mission of the group. Understanding the diversity among followers or potential followers can make a significant impact when trying to make them work together as a team.”
Because of these differences in perspectives, Kouzes and Posner emphasize the importance of describing your vision so that others can “see it, hear it, taste it, touch it and feel it.” Using a positive communication style can help. “We don’t like leaders who are negative,” explain Kouzes and Posner. “They bring us down. We want leaders with enthusiasm, with a bounce in their steps, with a can-do attitude. We want to believe that we are part of an invigorating journey.”
Believe It Can Happen
“The most inspirational moments are marked by genuineness,” state Kouzes and Posner. “It is when you share what is in your soul that you can truly move others.” We all have a knack for spotting insincerity in others. If you are not committed to your vision, your insincerity will be revealed in your voice, your eyes, and your posture. You have to put your heart into it if you want it to work.
By discovering a common purpose, communicating with your team members, and being sincere in your own belief, you can inspire others to share your dream.
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