Two Key Principles for Effective Leadership: Vision and Communication

Leadership requires two things: a vision of the world that does not yet exist and the ability to communicate it. Our vision is the world we imagine, the tangible results of what the world would look like if we spent every day in pursuit of our WHY. Leaders don’t have all the great ideas; they provide support for those who want to contribute. Leaders achieve very little by themselves; they inspire people to come together for the good of the group. Leaders never start with what needs to be done. Leaders start with WHY we need to do things.

I love this quote from Simon Sinek in Start with Why because it clearly identifies two major principles of leadership:

1. Envisioning a world that does not yet exist is one of the foundational responsibilities of a leader.
2. Effectively communicating that vision is essential to bringing it into reality.

But how exactly does this idea of visionary leadership differ from management? Understanding this distinction can help clarify how leaders and managers uniquely contribute to the growth and success of their organizations.

Management vs. Leadership

There’s a lot of discussion about the difference between leadership and management. Over the years, I’ve found it helpful to think about the distinction this way:

• Management often involves optimizing and refining existing elements. It’s about taking what already exists and making incremental improvements. For example, in a workflow, management focuses on improving efficiency. In education, it might mean enhancing an existing class to provide a better student experience. While management certainly includes overseeing and supporting a team, I find it particularly helpful to think of it as the practice of making the best possible use of resources and processes already in place.

Think about management like working with puzzle pieces that already exist. The role is to rearrange and refine those pieces so that they fit together optimally and function smoothly.

• Leadership, however, involves creating a vision for an entirely new puzzle. The puzzle doesn’t exist yet, but you have a clear picture in your mind of what you want it to look like. You are not just optimizing existing components but crafting something entirely new. Of course, no idea is completely original. Austin Kleon, in his book Steal Like an Artist, points out that we’re always gathering ideas from elsewhere and reshaping them into something uniquely our own.

Leadership means seeing possibilities that others might overlook, envisioning a future beyond the current status quo.

Vision Without Communication Falls Flat

However, simply having a vision isn’t enough. If you can’t communicate that vision clearly and inspire others to join you, even the best ideas will remain unrealized. I once came across the “10-80-10 rule” for leaders, which I find helpful (and definitely need to improve upon in my own life!):

• First, you as the leader set the vision and build the initial 10%.
• Next, you communicate your vision to others who help execute the core 80%.
• Finally, you use your leadership skills to guide the last 10% and bring the project to completion.

The middle 80% relies heavily on your ability to clearly communicate and motivate your team. Without strong communication, the vision you have will struggle to move from concept to reality.

Putting Vision and Communication Together

Leaders see beyond what’s immediately visible. They see opportunities, potential, and new realities. Yet, true leadership isn’t merely having great ideas but it’s also about articulating those ideas in a compelling way so that others feel inspired and committed to pursuing that vision alongside you.

When vision and communication combine effectively, you don’t just optimize what’s already present. You create meaningful, lasting, and substantial progress toward a future that doesn’t yet exist.