By Michael Hyatt
The Vision-Driven Leader is an excellent book. I read it out of duty because it was read in my mastermind. I approached it with the “I know it all” attitude, which is the worst attitude you can have while reading a book.
And I knew it all. I created a few vision scripts for my enterprises. I was familiar with the process. Seriously, I couldn’t read in this book something I didn’t yet know.
Yet, I read the book with an interest. I highlighted numerous passages. I learned something new about envisioning and about other things too. This is an excellent book.
My only reservation, and this is pure nitpicking, is that the whole process of mapping out a vision felt so… mechanic. Do this step, then another… And once you went through them all, you’re done.
It didn’t feel exactly right. It lacked the soul.
On the other hand, I created my vision scripts “with soul” in the past and not much came out of them. So, what do I know?
The pros of The Vision-Driven Leader are numerous and strong.
- Great Writing
I already told you that I approached the book with little expectations. Yet, it grabbed me from the very beginning. The stories were captivating. Michael’s experience shined through the pages.
- Great Wisdom
Speaking of experiences- I learned a bit about casting a vision for a company, but I learned a lot about business, human nature and other topics. And I learned in a “by the way” matter, just following what Michael had to say about vision-driven leader.
I got plenty of a-ha moments and highlighted many passages.
- Great Motivation
“Without this [a vision] you are effectively voting for the status quo.”
I found this quote at 8 per cent of the book on my Kindle. And I immediately knew I will read it to the end and that I need to grapple with the book message. Because I have been voting for the status quo and this status quo is not something I enjoy.
“There is no reward for giving up.”
Oh, I very well knew that. I just needed a reminder.
You have no idea how much I want to give up sometimes. Of course, I have no idea what I would do if I gave up, but moving forward is such an effort!
The emotional rollercoaster. Uncertainty. Working crazy hours with seemingly little reward. For sure, not proportional to the energy I poured into it.
I’m tired. Rejected. Not understood. Lonely. Exhausted. Sad. I don’t want to keep going. I want to give up.
But there is no reward for that. None at all.
- Great Process
I complained about the process of hammering out the vision, but it makes a lot of sense. Most people, especially down to earth business owners are paralyzed by the whole idea. They have no clue how to start nor how to actually create something workable.
Michael’s process is step-by-step. You may turn off your thinking and just follow his guidelines. Answer one question, then another till you reach the end of the process. You have a vision.
Yes, it may not be perfect. Yes, it may leave out something very characteristic to your business. But even half-baked vision is much better than no vision at all. And “The Vision-Driven Leader” provides an exact road map to reach that point.
I recommend this book. If you are a business owner and you don’t have yet the vision for your business, it is an obligatory lecture. It will convince you how much of a difference the vision makes for the bottom line and it will equip you with the tools necessary to formulate the compelling and workable vision for your business.
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