This article, is taken from my book Rough Diamonds: A collection of leadership gems from the vault. Learn more about the book and how to get your copy here.
One of the facets of the human enterprise’s “Leadership Diamond” model, as outlined in my book Your Leadership Diamond, is Leading Teams. The essence of which is inspiring collective commitment. One sure-fire way to do this is through visioning. You’ll rarely do a leadership course where the word vision isn’t mentioned. Sure, it goes under some other fancy titles like:
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BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal)
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Strategic Intent
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Vision of Greatness
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Vivid Description
But all in all, it’s the general direction or destination the team needs to head in, or as Stephen Covey shared with us all: “Begin with the end in mind”.
But all visions aren’t created equal
We know it’s not just the clarity of the vision, it’s also the energy and excitement the leader demonstrates about that vision as she “INSPIRES COLLECTIVE COMMITMENT”. But have you ever wondered why some visions are more compelling than others, and why some work for some people and not for others? Well, here are two elements of a vision you can play with on your team. Either one or the other or both are there in all their glory in every vision STATEMENT in every organisation large or small. The Vision has one or both of these two elements: a BURNING DESIRE and/or a BURNING DECK.
BURNING DESIRE OR BURNING DECK?
A BURNING DESIRE is something that you’re shooting for. It involves what we psychologists call a MOVING TOWARDS energy. For example:
“We will win the championship this year” or “We will become the #1 Provider in our industry”.
A BURNING DECK involves MOVING AWAY from energy, overcoming some barrier or getting out of a real tough situation that could end in disaster. It’s this classic underdog mentality that Australians often relate to. For example:
“We have to make sure we don’t get relegated to second division this year” or “We WILL make budget or manufacturing will be moved offshore”.
What’s the best? What works?
Well, it depends. According to the brilliant researcher Dr. John Evans from Cultural Imprint, different nationalities have different drivers in their collective cultural DNA.
For International readers, please bear with me as I become a little parochial here. For most North Americans, a BURNING DESIRE vision is extremely motivating. However, for many Australians, those both here long enough and exposed enough to our cultural DNA (irrespective of their ethnic origin), BURNING DESIRE Vision Statements can sound over the top and inauthentic.
It’s the reason many North Americans fail in their leadership assimilation in Australia. They think they’re motivating us. We think they’re too “rah rah”. And because of this, believe it or not, at times they often see Australians as negative, sceptical and cynical.
Are Australians really that bad?
Not at all. We tend to react this way because we tend to be more motivated by being the underdog with ‘BURNING DECK’ energy rather than a ‘BURNING DESIRE’ focus. We honour the underdog. We want to make sure the ‘little fella’ has a fair go. Even Russel Ward, the historian, in his book The Australian Legend refers to this and links it to our convict heritage. If you believe as I do (as a Jungian) in the power of the “collective unconscious” and that Australians love the underdog, then you better be really clear on your visioning.
Look at what we honour in our history
Take ANZAC Day. Let’s face it, the POMs stuffed up, yet the ANZAC legend is based on our ingenuity for safely getting everyone off Gallipoli without loss of life once the retreat order was given. Again, this is a classic Australian ‘underdog’ mentality and therefore, legend.
Or take the America’s Cup, the epitome of Ocean racing. In 1983 John Bertrand ended 132 years of American Supremacy, winning the cup while coming back from being down 3 to 1. The underdog again. We loved it.
Or on a business front. When Australians were really fed up with sole telecommunications provider Telecom (changed to Telstra in 1993) saying “no” to everything, the little giant Optus took them on. And under the creative genius of Ian Elliot, from George Patterson Bates advertising, they positioned themselves as the little up and comer telecommunications business. Optus would say “yes” not “no” like Telecom had been saying in the eyes of consumers. The underdog mentality, under the helm of Bob Mansfield. It was classic David and Goliath stuff.
Keeping the inspiration alive
But there is a problem with a BURNING DECK vision. What happens when you do win, even if you are the underdog? What happens after Optus has clearly demonstrated itself as a viable option to Telstra? Leaders have to be aware of how quickly energy wanes once a goal has been achieved. Complacency can and will set in.
What typically happens
I see leaders start with a BURNING DECK vision, and if achieved, they then create a BURNING DESIRE one. For Example:
“We have not met budget or profit expectations for 3 years. If we don’t show a profit the Australian business will be closed down”.
Everyone rallies. Targets are achieved. And here is where Aussie leaders often make a mistake. They create BURNING DESIRE Visions only.
“So now we will make ‘X’ dollars in ‘Y’ years”.
Their own ambition blinds them, to their role of inspiring people (on their terms) to exceptional performance through collective commitment.
What’s the answer?
The answer is to include elements of both BURNING DESIRE and BURNING DECK in your vision. I’m not asking you to not be ambitious, or to not spread the ambition message. I’m simply recommending you do it in the context of a bigger challenge, so you are still fighting as the underdog.
For example, you might have been the underdog in Accounting Services to the automotive industry but now you’re Australia’s #1 Provider. What’s next? Your new vision has to embody BURNING DESIRE and BURNING DECK energy. For example:
“How can we remain #1 in Australia and avoid being the bottom of the ladder in Asia-Pacific?”
If you’re a soft drink distributor and you have 51% market share for your category:
“How can we remain #1 in soft drinks and simultaneously win in terms of market share of all liquid refreshments?”
A bigger picture
But the real danger is if we just keep to BURNING DECK Visions we are simply reacting to problems and adversity. Surely to play on a bigger stage as leaders we need to include how as a nation and as organisations, we can engage all Australians to the exciting prosperity that our future holds, rather than just overcoming past or present difficulties.
Inspiring Collective Commitment
And there’s no better way to Inspire Collective Commitment in Australian teams and organisations than to skilfully craft your vision around BURNING DECK and also BURNING DESIRE energies.
What does your vision embody?
Until Next time…
Find the passion.
Develop the skills.
Make the numbers.
Make a difference.
Paul Mitchell
“APAC’s most respected transformational leadership performance coach”
Paul Mitchell (@Paul_S_Mitchell) is a speaker, author, transformational leadership coach and founder of the human enterprise. Through leadership coaching, leadership development programmes, keynotes and facilitation, Paul works with organisations to build cultures where everybody leads.
