Ok, I was wrong. Visions are alright.

Call me a vision-hater reformed.

For a long time, I thought visions were a feel-good, vaguely inspirational exercise—something schools and organizations did because they felt like they should, not because it actually mattered. A cute icebreaker, an excuse for a long meeting that could have been an email. Turns out, I was not alone in my vision skepticism. Plenty of educators, leaders, and business professionals roll their eyes at the idea of crafting a vision statement. And honestly? With good reason.

Why Visions Get a Bad Rap

Visions fail when they are poorly crafted or misused. Here are some of the main reasons why people hate visions:

1. Lack of Specificity

Most vision statements are as vague as a horoscope. "Be the best," "drive innovation," or "empower all learners"—these are so broad they could apply to literally any school, nonprofit, or tech startup. Without clear direction, a vision doesn’t inspire action; it just sits there, collecting dust.

2. Overuse of Jargon

Nothing kills enthusiasm faster than a vision bloated with buzzwords. If a vision reads like a TED Talk given by a robot—"leveraging 21st-century skills to cultivate synergistic outcomes"—people will disengage. Educators, especially, have a low tolerance for corporate fluff.

3. Misalignment with Reality

A school struggling with student attendance and disengagement probably shouldn’t have a vision proclaiming it will be "the premier institution of academic excellence." Lofty goals are fine, but if the vision feels disconnected from daily realities, staff will ignore it (or mock it in the break room).

4. Failure to Implement

A vision statement means nothing if leadership doesn’t embed it into decision-making. When a vision is just a poster on a wall and not a guide for action, people stop taking it seriously.

5. Trying to Please Everyone

Visions that attempt to be all things to all people end up meaning nothing to anyone. A strong vision requires making hard choices about priorities—and sticking to them.

6. Disconnect Between Leadership and Staff

When leaders craft visions in isolation without input from teachers, staff, and students, the result is a vision that feels imposed rather than owned. If the people implementing the work don’t see themselves in the vision, it won’t resonate.

---

So… Why Are Visions Actually Important?

If visions are often terrible, why am I now on board? Because when done well, a vision is the tool that drives meaningful change. It provides clarity, alignment, and momentum. Here’s why visions matter:

1. They Provide Direction and Focus

Schools juggle a million competing priorities. A strong vision acts as a North Star, helping leaders prioritize initiatives, allocate resources, and stay focused. Research from the Wallace Foundation found that effective school leaders use vision statements to guide decision-making and sustain improvement efforts.

2. They Unify Stakeholders

A shared vision creates common ground. When teachers, students, and families help shape the vision, they feel ownership and commitment. Schools with collaboratively developed visions experience stronger staff cohesion and motivation. It’s not just a leadership tool; it’s a community-building one.

3. They Shape Culture and Decision-Making

A well-crafted vision isn’t just a document—it’s a daily practice. Schools that embed their vision into hiring, PD, and classroom practices create a stronger, more cohesive culture. Principals who model vision-aligned behaviors reinforce its importance every day.

4. They Enable Adaptability and Long-Term Success

Visions are not meant to be static. Strong school leaders regularly revisit their vision to ensure it aligns with changing student needs, community demographics, and educational shifts. Schools that do this well remain dynamic and relevant.

5. They Drive Equity and Student-Centered Outcomes

Visions focused on equity force schools to confront systemic barriers. A commitment to "ensuring every student has access to high-quality, culturally responsive education" isn’t just a statement—it’s a challenge to do better. When visions are clear, they drive real changes in policy, curriculum, and resource allocation.

The Reformation: Making Visions Work

Now that I’ve seen the light, here’s what I think makes a vision actually useful:

• Make it specific – Ditch the generic "excellence" and "empowerment" phrases. Say what you actually mean.

• Keep it jargon-free – If teachers roll their eyes when they hear it, you’ve gone too far.

• Align it with reality – Acknowledge where you are and where you’re going in a way that feels achievable.

• Use it daily – If it’s not influencing decisions, it’s pointless.

• Make tough choices – A vision should clarify priorities, not try to cover everything.

• Involve your people – If teachers, students, and families don’t see themselves in the vision, it won’t work.

I was wrong. Visions aren’t just fluffy, meaningless statements—unless we let them be. Done well, they are the backbone of transformational leadership. I’ve seen it. It’s incredible to watch. If that means I have to admit I was a vision-hater in recovery, so be it.

A bonus tool that I found from Minnesota! Sometimes, we must step back and ask, “Why do we exist?” (but way more productive and less existential crisis).