Clement Bezold calls a future for the heart. It is more than an idea. When people really take a vision seriously, it becomes an inspirational force in their lives that pulls the present toward the envisioned future, acting as a self-fulfilling prophecy. A vision s power lies in its ability to motivate and align efforts . When people are committed to a vision, they will stretch themselves and their organisations to make it happen.
Visions raise people s personal aspirations and provide a focus for collective activity.
A vision can never be imposed on an individual or group. To have emotional power, a vision must be inwardly accepted as legitimate. This legitimacy can come from different sources, such as personal involvement in shaping the vision, or high regard for the leader or group propounding the vision, or a belief that the vision is a true expression of one s own aspirations. Be shared A vision only works when it is shared. Vision works by posing a collective challenge, aligning people s efforts so that they self-organise without needing to be controlled, and generating a group spirit in which people acknowledge and appreciate each other s contributions in moving toward the vision.