A Clear Vision for Growth

Under Armour’s recent earnings underwhelmed in large part because they adjusted previously stated goals. Lost in all the discussion of the stock price is that they adjusted their earnings goals because they expected to make heavy investments for growth. To this point, a clear vision coupled with strategic execution has established Under Armour as a dominate player in their market. Having that clear vision and communicating it throughout a company provides a shared goal that the entire organization will passionately pursue.

Under Armour has not made a habit of resting on its laurels. Instead they establish a solid position with a quality product and then seek to break into new markets.

As a company leader, does your team, especially your sales team, have that same clear sense of purpose? Your vision should align with your company's strengths, values, and ideals. To gauge alignment, review the business's vision with veterans of the organization and other c-suite leaders to see if their perspective is in sync. The vision should be put into simple vivid words that each person can connect with. If you find that there are disconnects between your stated vision and what can be reasonably executed, a re-evaluation is necessary to make sure that the stated goals are perceived as achievable.

Once the vision has been determined, there should be a clear effort to communicate and implement these concepts throughout the organization. This means developing policies and a culture that encourage the adjustments that bring people into alignment with the business vision. Hold staff meetings to let everyone know about the changes and the goals that the organization hopes to achieve.

A clear vision will not make up for a lack of strategic execution but a truly powerful vision will empower and energize a company behind a shared purpose. That shared purpose is the catalyst for growth.