Inspiring a Shared Vision

When it comes to inspiring a shared vision, I have an easier time with envisioning the future than I do with enlisting others. I think and imagine with the utmost optimism, assuming all people can and will reach their maximum potential. I envision a utopia of independently motivated people who learn for the sake of learning and achieve for intrinsic satisfaction. This is typical pacesetting leadership. My strength in this area is due to my enthusiasm and excitement for improvement, new beginnings, and becoming the most efficient versions of us. Like Laura Esserman, however, I am not the best at enlisting others to manifest my vision into reality.

Overall, my peer reviewers and I think my ability to envision the future is above average. I can see long-term ideas and how different environmental variables will affect the outcome of a project. I enjoy thinking about contingency plans and I usually have a good understanding of what I would like the end result to look like and perform like. For example, I currently work as a web designer at an apparel company in Stafford. I have been working here almost eight months. When I arrived in May to start the job, I had many fantastic ideas already that I wanted to try. However, limitations by the software and the staff forced me to re-assess my vision several times every month. I can still see what I would like the functionality of the website to be in my head, and continue to take every strenuous step forward that I can to achieve this sometimes lofty goal.

The problem with my job is that an individual best undertakes creative tasks, yet everyone wants to have input on the website’s design. My weakness in inspiring a shared vision is in persuading others that my way will be the best way in the end. The main reason I pursued an MBA is because I was hoping it would add more credibility to my ideas. I frequently struggle with this as a graphic designer, as well, because everyone has a different idea of what they want the end product to look like. I already know that the client will almost always go with my original idea. I am the hired expert after all, but it takes awhile for others to catch up with what I know. I become frustrated with others’ inputs. I have entertained many of my coworkers’ ideas for the website, almost to the point where it now eclipses my original vision and I have very little task identity. Because of this, I have lost any remaining motivation I had to create an appealing design for the website. I know a week later, a coworker will tell me, “I really hate the blue. Make it red.”

Because I don’t desire constant input on the design of the website, it has made it difficult to enlist others for help in functional areas of the site. I require salespeople’s help in creating showrooms of featured products, as well as marking sale options, for example. When I ask for specific products, I get vague answers from my co-workers. I need them to feel like they have a say in the website’s look, but more importantly, they need to feel accountable for their respective sections of the site.

I need to take control of the creative part of the website as an individual, and take the role of a teacher in helping catch everyone up to my vision. I think everyone wants to help out, but they are too busy with their own tasks to get excited about the work I need for them to do for the website. I will do my best to harness my enthusiasm and optimism this week in flushing out the functional areas of the website, maybe working alongside nervous co-workers who don’t have the confidence to make edits to the company’s public website. Once everyone knows their roles and has a uniform strategic idea in their mind, finishing the website should be so much easier than the difficult task it has been for me.