• Skip to navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

AAEPA, Inc

Find a Member Member's Login
Call Today (800) 846-1555
  • Membership
    • Membership Membership
    • submenu
      • Why Join?
      • Member Requirements
      • Become A Member
      • Meet the Team
  • Estate planning software
  • Education
  • Practice management
    • Practice management Practice Management
    • submenu
      • 11 Essential Systems
      • Coaching
      • Law Firm Marketing
  • Resources
    • Resources Resources
    • submenu
      • Live Training
      • Blog
  • Contact Us

Vision Test

Home » time and planning » Vision Test

Quick! What’s your vision? For your life, your family, your business – what is it?
There’s a lot of hype swirling around us to discover our vision. Who we want to be, what we want to stand for, what we want to make and leave for the world, and the impression we want to leave behind. But what happens if you don’t have one?

Don’t freak out. Deep breaths. If you’re not a visionary per say, then it turns out – according to author, leadership guru, and all around humble and wonderful human, Simon Sinek – you’re a lot like the rest of us.

It’s no secret that I’m a Podcast junkie (check out my confession). I listen to a wide variety of topics from outdoor adventures for women and their dogs (yeah, that one’s a niche) to entrepreneurship and marketing over coffee. This idea of “having a vision” creeps into many of the Podcasts I listen to as well as into mainstream media. Simon Sinek was a guest on one of my regular Podcasts recently and had some insightful comments which I hope will lay a foundation for the idea of having vs. finding a vision.

The misconception is that in order to be successful, you have to have a vision. No you don’t. Rather than searching inside yourself for something which may not ever be there, consider instead that most people find a vision. That is, they hear a leader clearly communicate their vision and relate so strongly to it that they say, “Yes! THAT is what I want to do. I want to be a part of that.” Not everyone around us is Martin Luther King Jr. or Steve Jobs. In fact, there are more people in the world who have found something they want to be a part of than those who are creating new things to be a part of. And I’d argue that’s how it should be. The challenge is to actually find it and then create a team that also feels and believes deeply in that vision.

  1. Go Looking For It: It’s perfectly acceptable not to have a vision of your own. If everyone were a visionary, nothing would get done. Visionaries exist to think big things. Their teams exist to make those big things happen. But what most likely will NOT happen is that you “stumble upon” or have your vision “dropped into your lap”. Go look for it. Try on some different visions. Steve Jobs or Bill Gates? Find the one that fits the best. Don’t simply accept one you feel lukewarm about.
  2. Help Your Visionary: The problem most visionaries – and subsequently, their organizations – run into is the inability to clearly communicate their entire vision. Imagine how Sam Walton would feel about the downturn of Wal-Mart after his death in 1992.Visionaries will light the torch. But it’s up to their teams to carry the torch when they are gone. Help your visionary clearly outline what they want for the organization as well as what they DON’T want. Organizations that only last a few generations fall because the new leaders don’t understand the original vision that made it so great in the first place.
  3. Play the Long-Term Game: You’ve found your vision, you have your visionary. Now you need a team to make all those big things happen. Thus begins the hiring process. The way many businesses tend to hire is according to a blind list of skills and assets. We look at resumes, have a few superficial interviews, and boom. Hired. And it’s ok if we hire that way because we can always fire them if it doesn’t work out in a few weeks or months.

Try this on for size: What if you hired people into your business who you could never fire? What would your hiring process look like then? Good organizations hire slowly with the expectation that their employees will never leave and they’d never ask them to because that’s where they fit, it’s where they want to be, and it’s where they do their best work. Rather than recruiting people based on skill sets, what if you hired people based on your values and vision? Play the long-term game and you won’t be disappointed.

Whatever the vision you find (or even if you have your own vision), pursue it doggedly. It is an ever-evolving craft that, with any luck, will keep you moving forward (hats off, Mr. Disney) for many generations.

Kathryn Adams
Practice Building Consultant
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
9444 Balboa Avenue, Suite 300
San Diego, California 92123
Phone: (800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Kathryn Adams
Practice Building Consultant, American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys
Latest posts by Kathryn Adams (see all)
  • Lessons in Leadership: Connecting Vs. Controlling - October 19, 2018
  • 3 Reasons Law Firms Fail - October 12, 2018
  • Want to be a Great Leader? Start Here - September 14, 2018
SHARE

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to our blog

Recent Posts

  • Turning Stalled Out Goals into Actions
  • What Makes a Will or Trust Invalid
  • Ultimate Social Media Cheat Sheet: Character Limits & Best Days/Times to Post
  • Understanding Tax Apportionment Clauses
  • Do You Thank Those Behind the Scene?

Categories

  • Academy Girl Friday (33)
  • Client Services (238)
  • Coaching (33)
  • Consumer Advantage (3)
  • Counseling (21)
  • Elder Law (5)
  • Estate Planning (918)
  • Estate Planning Documents (5)
  • Estate Planning Education (199)
  • Financial Analysis (3)
  • Financial Services (1)
  • General (19)
  • Law Firm Marketing (281)
  • Law Firm Net Revenue (7)
  • Law Firm Staffing (99)
  • Law Firm Technology (45)
  • Law Firm Web Tips (185)
  • Leadership (191)
  • Legal Education (644)
  • Marketing Tools (2)
  • Medicaid (1)
  • Member Services (1)
  • Owners Compensation (1)
  • Peak Performer Focus (1)
  • Practice Building Calls (1)
  • Practice Management (495)
  • SEO/Social Media Support (3)
  • Software (6)
  • Strategic Planning (9)
  • Uncategorized (15)

Footer

logo of American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

About Us

  • Meet the Team
  • Site Map
  • Legal Notice
  • Privacy Policy

Explore Our Services

  • Coaching
  • Estate planning software
  • Events
  • Legal education
  • Marketing
  • Web and SEO

Keep in Touch

Mon-Fri

9444 Balboa Ave. Suite 300

San Diego

(800) 846-1555

info@aaepa.com

Take Back Control of Your Business and Your Life

+

footer section | American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

© 2022 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc All rights reserved.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Don't sell my personal information.
Cookie Settings Accept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Save & Accept