A few weeks ago, I was sitting in a room full of brilliant people, creme da la creme of the intellectual world with a fraction of hardworking industry leaders and us, humble practitioners. I assume all of the above are hardworking (I hope so).

Someone mentioned that a vision and mission are the core components of institutions to enable a sustainable future. A fair point, I thought for a few seconds, and then a question rushed through my mind:

How many of us here in this very room have any mission/vision for our individual lives?

And if the felt 15% are decision-makers in their respective professions?

And what about the 85% of the crowd not having a mission or vision? Are they just floating around and enjoying a free lunch, or why are they here?

And if this is the given reality, how can we even give them and ourselves the right to create and make decisions for others and try to find solutions for things that we’re fundamentally distanced from (at least on the surface)?

I know it sounds harsh. But let us face it. If mission and vision are essential parts of an institution and many of its members don’t have any, it sounds like a great dissonance that echoes itself in all the words, decisions, actions, and results.

A ripple effect with severe allergic reactions for the decades to come.

Just wondering about this topic as it’s a crucial part of any leadership style. My heart beats for creativity and creative leadership (obviously). And still, whatever type of leadership we practice, enabling people to discover their mission and vision indeed sounds like an important part of any life and institution.

What are your thoughts about the above?

P.S. Talking about Creative Leadership – look at our thoughts on it here.