Good communication is not just data transfer. You need to show people something that addresses their anxieties, that accepts their anger, that is cre… - John Kotter

Valued achievements connect to people at a deeper level—and a deeper level can change behavior that is generally very difficult to change.

Budgeting is a math exercise, number crunching. Planning is a logical, linear process. Strategizing requires a great deal of information about customers and competitors, along with conceptual skills. Visioning uses a very different part of the brain than budgeting. As the name implies, it involves trying to see possible futures. It inevitably has both a creative and emotional component (e.g., “How do we feel about the options?”). When you use “orthodox planning” to create a vision, frustration and failure are inevitable.

No vision issue today is bigger than the question of efficiency versus some combination of innovation and customer service.