Key Idea

Your objective is to articulate your vision to the people who can help you make your idea a reality. Once you have the vision in your mind's eye, you will want to translate it to a format that can be communicated with impact to others. While some begin with words, others may use some sort of visual aid, like a sketch or a model. Your ultimate goal is to have a vision statement with the following characteristics:

• It must describe your outcome vividly. A vision becomes truly powerful when people can understand its goals and direction. Try to craft a statement that helps others "see" the future outcome in their minds' eye.
• It must appeal to needs and interests. Your statement should appeal to the implicit or explicit interests of your stakeholders.
• It must stir up enthusiasm. You will need to gain support for your idea to recruit a team. Convey your vision with excitement to stir up enthusiasm in others.
• Finally, it must communicate effectively. Strive to create a clear vision that you can describe to others within two minutes. Imagine that you only have someone's attention for the length of an elevator ride. How would you explain your vision?