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CHAPTER 13: CREATING VISION AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION 413
should persist, as a refl ection of the enduring character of the organization.
Effective leaders frame a noble purpose that inspires followers and helps the
organization maintain a competitive advantage. To frame an organizational
purpose that helps people fi nd their work meaningful, leaders can choose
among four basic concepts as the basis of purpose: discovery, excellence, altru-
ism, and heroism.
Strategy is the serious work of fi guring out how to translate vision and
mission into action. Strategy is a general plan of action that describes resource
allocation and other activities for dealing with the environment and helping
the organization reach its goals. Like vision, strategy changes, but successful
companies develop strategies that focus on core competence, develop synergy,
and create value for customers. Strategy is implemented through the systems and
structures that are the basic architecture for how things get done in the
organization.
Leaders decide on direction through rational analysis as well as intuition, per-
sonal experience, and hopes and dreams. Leaders make a real difference for their
organization only when they link vision to strategic action, so that vision is more
than just a dream. Superior organizational performance is not a matter of luck. It
is determined by the decisions leaders make.

Discussion Questions

1. A management consultant said that strategic leaders are concerned with vision
and mission, while strategic managers are concerned with strategy. Do you agree?
Discuss.
2. A vision can apply to an individual, a family, a college course, a career, or decorat-
ing an apartment. Think of something you care about for which you want the future
to be different from the present and write a vision statement for it.
3. If you worked for a company like Apple or Google that has a strong vision for the
future, how would that affect you compared to working for a company that did not
have a vision?
4. Do you agree with the principle of self-reference? In other words, do you believe if
people know where the organization is trying to go, they will make decisions that
support the desired organizational outcome?
5. What does it mean to say that the vision can include a description of both the jour-
ney and the destination?
6. Many visions are written and hung on a wall. Do you think this type of vision has
value? What would be required to imprint the vision within each person?
7. What is the difference between mission and vision? Can you give an example of
each?
8. Do you think every organization needs a noble purpose in order to be successful
over the long term? Discuss. Name one company that seems to reflect each category
of noble purpose as defined in the chapter.
9. Strategic vision and strategic action are both needed for a leader to be effective.
Which do you think you are better at doing? Why?
10. If a new top leader is hired for a corporation, and performance improves, to what
extent do you think the new top leader was responsible compared to other factors?
To what extent do you think a new coach is responsible if her basketball team did
better after she took over?