 Sharing your entrepreneurial vision is one of those moments where it seems like everything hinges upon each word that drips from your lips. Well, that’s because it is one of those moments! So, how can you more effectively share your entrepreneurial vision with others?
Here are five quick tips to implement the next time you are going to share your entrepreneurial vision. 1) Communicate how you will add value and solve a problem We live in a time where our first inclination is to ask "how will this impact me?" As you are communicating your entrepreneurial vision be certain you are answering that question. But, answer it in a way that clearly indicates how you are adding value and solving a problem. Provide enough detail for the audience to understand your reasons for taking the action you will take. Your reasons need to convince your audience that your vision, when acted upon, adds value and solves a problem. Here are four questions to ask yourself to get you started: 1) What problem will my entrepreneurial vision solve? 2) What value is inherent in my entrepreneurial vision? 3) What is there to gain? 4) Why take action on my entrepreneurial vision now? In reality, sharing your vision is not just about "sharing," it is really about effectively communicating answers to questions. 2) Don't just "Tell 'em," have them "experience" it Communicating your entrepreneurial vision is not only about answering questions. To effectively share your entrepreneurial vision you must appeal to your listeners’ senses. Your listeners must "experience" your vision, not just “hear” about your vision. It is about using words to paint a picture in your listeners’ minds. If you offer a product or service, don't just tell your listener about the product or service, allow them to experience it. Don't just tell your listeners about the benefits of the product or service, allow them to experience them. There is a phrase, "experience is the best teacher." Well, experience is also the best influencer of action! 3) Use effective heart/head balance Too many of us are not balanced when we share our vision. We either have too much emotion, or not enough. Either too much logic, or not enough. Let’s be realistic, most entrepreneurs are driven by what can be, not what is. Entrepreneurs find it easy to paint a vision with “heart” appeal. Heart appeal is a good thing, it is both the flicker that starts the entrepreneurial fire and the fuel for long-term motivation. A “head” appeal calls on human reasoning and logic. A head appeal satisfies the “yes, but” folks. “Yes, that sounds like a great idea, b-u-t…what’s the start-up cost… what’s the statistical need…etc” A head appeal shares, in a very real sense, the logical reasons for taking action on your entrepreneurial vision. The key is finding the right balance of “heart” and “head” for your vision. 4) Know that some questions won’t have answers The typical response of someone who is hearing your entrepreneurial vision for the first time is always the same – they will have questions. Questions are understandable, but don’t expect to have all the answers to all the questions. While this may be hard for your audience to grasp, it is just part of the DNA of an entrepreneur. Some questions won't, or can't, be answered ahead of time. Often, the answers come in the midst of the vision unfolding. So, when asked a question that just does not need an answer yet, here is a phrase that works great, "that's a great question that we will entertain as the vision unfolds into reality." 5) Wear your CAP When sharing your entrepreneurial vision, above all else, be sure to wear your CAP. CAP stands for: Conviction, Action Orientation, and Passion. People are impressed by figures and data and logic, but people yearn for someone with conviction, action orientation and passion. Your listeners can get behind someone with conviction, because conviction means you won't stop when troubles plague your launch. Your listeners can get behind someone with action orientation, because action orientation means you have the gumption to back up your vision with sustainable action. Your listeners can get behind someone with passion, because passion means you have the fuel to persevere through the grueling stages of making a vision become a reality. So, don't forget to wear your CAP! Sharing your entrepreneurial vision is a communication art and science that can be developed to more effectively impact your listeners. Happy vision casting!
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 Throughout the typical day in the life of a manager there are a multitude of issues to be dealt with, concerns to alleviate and proverbial fires to put out. At the same time, a manager is also trying to build a team of performance powerhouses through motivating sustained and optimal performance from his or her staff.
In the next few minutes we are going to uncover two questions that can absolutely slaughter the motivation of your staff. Two questions that are so common yet have an uncommon negative impact on the success of your staff member and your team. So, here they are, the two motivation-slaughtering-questions:
These seemingly simple questions are used throughout all industries, markets and business segments. These two simple questions are spoken from the lips of managers, directors and executives on a daily basis. So, what is so bad with these questions? These questions instantly suck the motivational life out of your staff and immediately plunge performance. The reason these questions are so destructive to motivation and performance is because they have an undertone of, “you have not been able to solve this issue on your own, so now I HAVE to get involved…and now WE have to do this TOGETHER!” You are essentially telling your staff member that he cannot do it (he is incompetent), and this issue can only be resolved if you swoop in and provide THE solution (lack of autonomy). There are two elements not being nurtured here. Two elements that must be nurtured if you want optimal performance from your staff: autonomy and competence. True motivation and optimal performance stem from an individual’s perception of autonomy. That is, the feeling of being self-directed, self-determined and having a sense of freedom to choose among performance options. The more autonomous one feels, the more creative they are with solutions, the more effort they exert and the more persistence they express. Also, true motivation and optimal performance stem from an individual’s sense of competence toward a given task. If you desire maximum output from your staff member, you must nurture their competence. Competence enhances effort and persistence, as well as taps into that staff member’s internal reasons for engaging in a task. So, let’s revisit our two slaughtering questions: 1) What can we do about this? And 2) What can I do to help? Both questions undermine autonomy and competence. And, when autonomy and competence are low, so is performance. Let’s close with a few alternative questions that will elicit the same solution-oriented-thinking you were looking for with your original questions.
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