PCS SI Update - 8/21/25 - Articulating a Clear Vision

 

PCS SI Update
Articulating a Clear Vision
August 21, 2025

I've been talking with my coach about articulating a clear vision for my new role and thought it would be an important thing for all of us to consider as we begin a new year. Without a clear vision, it's almost impossible to inspire staff to 1) be clear on where they are following you, and 2) continue to follow when challenges pop up. Here are some things I have learned over the last 9 years in working with world-class organizations through our grants.

Vision -  Simon Sinek posted this video on Finding a Vision that I have used in our AP training about the importance of having a clear vision, even if you don't create the vision personally and this video on the difference between Vision vs Goals. The point is that sometimes you can simply adopt or adapt a vision and make it your own, however, you have to have a vision to inspire others to follow. One of the things I would love to work with you and our APs on is making sure we script out that vision and key talking points that explain it to help paint a picture of what a "win" looks like when we "reach the finish line". Driving to Clarity is one of the principles that executives and managers utilize from Chick-fil-a, Kohls, etc. It's a key first step in solidifying your vision.

One of the most helpful frameworks I have found when it comes to crafting a vision is to make sure it efficiently explains your purpose and task that are required to achieve that purpose. For example, my personal vision is: to positively impact those I love, through coaching, candor, and commitment, so they become leaders who build and inspire other leaders. The purpose is split: to positively impact those I love...to become leaders who build & inspire leaders. To simplify it even more, my key purpose phrase is to be a leader who builds leaders. The task includes three things: coaching, so I'm helping build capacity and self-directedness in others; candor, so I can tell someone the truth with grace and love (grace and love is central to candor); and commitment, so I can stay focused on supporting those I love even when they waiver in confidence (that has helped me so much with my girls;). When Dr. Lassiter asked me to take over the AP Training the mission was: to provide APs with 1) targeted monthly training, 2) opportunities to apply skills, and 3) structured support, so they can become effective school leaders. That clarified everything for me over the last 5 years on what my 3 task were and that the purpose was to make sure our APs became effective school leaders.

Articulation - The first step in articulation is to script out the vision. It has to be short enough that you can say it (often 1 sentence) and impactful enough that everyone else in the school can learn it & be inspired to aim towards it. It has to be something that is "bite-sized" and includes key words or phrases that can be repeated. Each part has to be explained with examples and non-examples so it's clear. Most importantly, it has to be something that is inspiriting, especially to your leaders. One of the key steps is to make sure that key leaders provide feedback and input, so they can also articulate and explain the vision and what tasks are required to achieve it. My 2nd year at Chicod, our SIT worked for about 3 months to clarify our vision: to Engage and Empower Every Student Every Day. It was easy to remember because it was E4. We had to then clarify what it "looked like and sounded like" to Engage Every Student Every Day to be clear on it. 

Persuasion - Persuasion is another important step. It's making sure that everyone, starting with your leaders, decides to take the first step in following the vision. If a leader tries to lead and no one follows, the are not really leading, they are dreaming. This means having conversations with key leaders in the school, especially those with influence. If someone has influence, they are probably a key person to help persuade everyone else to follow a vision. Even if they are not always on your side at first, if they can influence, they are important for this stage. Making sure they align to key terms/phrases and what those terms/phrases look like and sound like is vitally important to sharing the vision and engage everyone to take the first steps to follow it. Asking for their input in the Vision and Articulation phase is key to making sure they can help to Persuade others to follow the Vision. 

Exhortation - This stage is vitally important when (not if) challenges pop up. Exhortation is about making sure everyone is inspired to continue to push forward. Mike Tyson said "Everyone has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth." The trick as a leader is can you inspire everyone to get up and continue to follow the vision when those challenge come up. This is where it's also important to make sure the key leaders in your building understand the WHY and believe in the vision, so they can help out when things get challenging. That's why it's so important to make sure in the early stages they understand and buy into the vision. That way it's "OUR" vision rather than your vision.

If you are into acronyms, this one can be V-APE (can't just be VAPE;). In order to have impact with a Vision you have to Articulate it, Persuade others to follow it, and Exhort everyone to follow it through the challenges that pop up. 


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