Vivid Vision: A Remarkable Tool For Aligning Your Business Around a Shared Vision of the Future Paperback – February 13, 2020

There's no question for me that Mr. Herold's effort is a wonderful tool to guide business leaders in setting out robust visions of where they'll lead their organizations over a three-year period.I’ll state at the outset that while the book immediately grabbed me because it nailed a concept – strategic alignment around a shared vision with stakeholder buy-in – that I deeply believe in, I held on to some skepticism for a bit, too.Ordinarily, I don’t think I often believe that there are simple processes that work well for all, especially without seeing much empirical backup.What I came to realize in reading is that the notion of creating an organizational vision is an area in which practical simplicity is more profound than complex, multi-layered models, and strategic minimalism offers the greatest chance of success.In other words, this process is simple only to the extent that it’s brilliant in its simplicity.Second, in respect of data, the unrelenting focus on certain core elements that are without question empirically validated in thousands of places gave me plenty of comfort.With that skepticism allayed, I’m certainly a strong advocate of the approach written of. While I am not the CEO of the larger agency at which I am among the senior leadership (and that’ll continue, unless I’m in for a true shock, I’m neither headed out nor I am headed straight to big chair), I’ll push hard for this process. And as I take baby steps in beginning to build my own consultancy to complement what is a terrific larger company experience, I’ll compose my own vivid vision.Specifically, here’s why I think this book stands out in its genre and rates five stars:1. Skilled navigation of a treacherous definitional landscape.The book offers tremendous clarity on the features and characteristics that are core components of a truly “vivid” vision, while also taking care to note what a vivid vision is not. Think there’s tremendous desire in the marketplace for an expertly developed framework to guide CEOs in setting out their visions that goes well beyond a one sentence mission statement or a collection of platitudes but that isn’t 600 pages of either free association wishful thinking or granular line item financial projections going out 10 ten years. The vivid vision isn’t a statement of purpose, or a quotation, etc. – nor is it a business plan or a financial report. It’s a concise but robust articulation of what the business is, what it values, what it does, where it will be in three years and how it’ll get there. For me, that’s a happy medium when talking about a formative guiding document.2. The need for discipline is set out early and hammered home often but with no need for the author to simply repeat, “and again, be disciplined!” – the book also pulls no punches in speaking to the accountability that all team members must have, while squarely laying the ultimate onus with executive leadership where it belongs.The vivid vision indeed gets to a happy medium, it’s also a disciplined medium. In fact, it imposes a level of discipline on a CEO that may go beyond hard, toward the painful – though the upside is tremendous joy. In brief, the CEO must be able to articulate the business's mission, core values, business model, strategy, unique value propositions, market positioning, growth mechanisms, key functionalities/departments and the roles they'll play, etc. in a manner that is a beacon of clarity for everybody in the organization. As the vivid vision is rolled out, quite frankly each employee, investor and stakeholder ought to be able to articulate with the same level of clarity not just what the business is all about and how he or she contribute to the business but how all team members go about uniquely contributing. It’s a tremendous challenge, but it’s real – and being real is the ticket to experiencing the joy associated with the realization of a shared vision of business success.3. The book is legitimately exceptional in setting out why the vivid vision concept is a necessity for long term success and it focuses unrelentingly throughout on “the two whys” (not the author’s term – really, two main answers to the core question of, why have a vivid vision?). First, alignment.To succeed, an organization must be aligned around the vision, but that’s not possible if stakeholders don’t have both complete accessibility to, and understanding of, the precise vision moving forward (with such sophisticated understanding needed on an ongoing basis). Thus, the case for executive leadership to truly lead in respect of radical transparency as it concerns the company’s vision is made. And not surprisingly, data is overwhelmingly conclusive that corporate alignment is a core driver of corporate growth, profits and sustainability.4. The second “why” – buy-in.The loveliest visions are, to be blunt, DOA if it can’t earn organizational support. Sure, management for a time can cram it down, but in the end that’s everyone just wasting the time away. The need for buy-in and support of key internal and external stakeholders, and ultimately, enthusiastic support from a strong majority of personnel is so important that the author is, in my view, completely on the mark in saying that an organization should take no issue with losing personnel who can’t get on board. That’s not to say that the business can survive a mass exodus. But surely, as Mr. Herold speaks to and writes of, if. perhaps, after a good roll-out, 15% or so of folks are strongly opposed, the business can and should be fine with sending that 15% on their way. Not every individual needs to do cartwheels over every word in the vivid vision. But the great majority of stakeholders need to support the essential core vision – and not just tepidly.5. Lifecycle process, from creation through unrolling through updating to renewing brings it all together.The book is a pleasure in that while it doesn’t get bogged down in arbitrary rules or endless sample spreadsheets and calendars, it’s pretty clear about what a general timeline ought to look like. Most importantly is the duration of the vivid vision itself, with the author recommending it extend out three years. Mr. Herold then offers sensible sequences for the CEO’s creation of the vivid vision, the vision’s roll-out to employees and then to key external stakeholders, quarterly progress assessments and quarterly updating, simply meaning that tasks achieved over a prior quarter are crossed off the list with new tasks (laid out from the beginning but adjusted if circumstances have changed dramatically) added.6. Vivid examples that work emotionally and practically.Personally, I appreciate when an expert author has the self-confidence and open spirit to offer up his or her own work. And these are deeply personal documents. While Mr. Herold, of course, can know now with pride that the sample vivid visions he created and now offers were well-realized, it’s different, humbler and allowing more room for criticism to not just use examples of third party validation of previous offerings (which Mr. Herold would be able offer in abundance). There’s also no question that Mr. Herold brings a tremendous amount of passion to his businesses and to life generally. At times in the book, he’ll share some of the visualization exercises he’s used in the past and while those may not be right for all, what does work is to read the vivid vision that ultimately emerged from a just-described intimate process. It’s also helpful to see how one leader has developed over his career in respect of authoring vivid visions.**One gets the sense in reading that setting out a vivid vision is a process that, for the author, has some elements that are almost spiritual (yet the farthest thing from messianistic). I’m surprised by how much I like that notion and think it is as it should be. I use spiritual in the sense of a frame of mind that enables a leader to reach an emotional state that’s prepared to get moving with what are hardcore, technical business functions and to navigate complex marketplace dynamics over a three-year period – which by the way, is a hugely significant chunk of time for any business at any stage of its life cycle.Having never had the pleasure of working with Mr. Herold or even having read him previously (it has been my pleasure to chat with a bit on Twitter recently, after this review was already largely written, terrific gentleman), I come away from the book completely convinced in his own conviction that the vivid vision is the path to aligned and shared vision of business success. And in turn, I am sufficiently convinced to bring these concepts directly into my financial house. Strongly recommended and, no surprise, extraordinarily vivid read. Well done.

This is legitimately a page turner. A must read from cover to cover. It should be in your top five books close by. It’s you mornings exercise routine. Whoever recommended this book to me bless them. Hands down I recommend this to others. But remember this is recommended to those who are ready to change and open to move when spoken to. They must be willing to follow everything not somethings. A double minded man will not get anything from this book. You must be ready to act.

This was a well written book and the author clearly states his purpose and achieves it. When you finish this book you will have a clear understanding of how to create a vivid vision with examples and how to proceed with it.

Vivid Vision articulates the challenges and the benefits of visioning your business out some years so that you have a game plan to successfully double your business. This plan is well supported with a playbook to launch your vision in an organized fashion and to continue to pressure test your original thinking. Excellent, quick and engaging read!

This book was a fantastic tool in highlighting the importance of being very, very concrete and detailed about all aspects of where you want to take your business (and your life) over the next three years. It's more than a good and simple read. It was really an actionable process and led us down the path of defining in great detail the vision for our company and team over the next three years from all standpoints: team, culture, financials, company headquarters, contribution. Where we once had a decent idea of what we are building and where we are headed, we now have a comprehensive and concrete picture of the future we want to create. We can all talk about our vision in incredible detail and have the ability to "see" it with as much clarity as we do the present state of our business, as if someone were asking questions about our business today. It's created a hugely important blueprint of our dream both verbally and energetically and has already led to important changes in our day to day operations. I recommend this book for anyone with a really big dream - it will take that big dream and ground it into a concrete reality and roadmap that everyone can get on board and follow.

There I was, in my office, reading Vivid Vision until ONE question made me rethink everything about my business. Have you ever felt that you are in the day to day of the business, floating along task to task, not getting any traction? Cameron does a wonderful job of asking you some great guiding questions for you and your business.This book will remain on my bookshelf as one of my favorite business books. It will help you provide you clarity within your life or business, while leaning out 3 years in the future, and being able to describe the business as if you were walking around it. This will help create your vision, so you can share it with the people in your culture to help you accomplish your goals. “When everyone can see what you can see, they’ll help conspire to make that come true.”Great read, instant business classic. Clarity might just be the best thing you can EVER do for your business and life.

I love the concept of this book, but all I really needed was an outline for how to craft a vivid vision and some examples. Not worth the $20 price tag, especially in light of the fact that the pages were falling out due to bad binding.

For your business, yourself, and your family. Write it like a film scriptwriter. Tell the world and let the world conspire and cooperate with you to make it happen.

A great book for understanding the importance of a clear or in this case vivid vision in one’s life. It provides examples of vivid vision already written on paper along with the concepts on how and why it should be done. Also, very easy to read.

I was inspired by Cameron Herold's podcast on Mind Valley. I found the book just as fascinating, insightful and helpful! Vivid Vision offers you simple and clear steps to find your true North. It doesn't matter whether you are a businessman, career professional, budding entrepreneur, student or a home maker, your life can be more fulfilling, richer and amazingly successful by finding your purpose and then aligning to it. It's a must read!

I really enjoyed the book it is short and to the point. Some concepts I already knew but here they were summarized. Ready to put into pracrice for my star up.

Cameron Herold lays out exactly how to execute a powerful tool for business of all sizes. I love the simplistic framework this book helps any business to fulfil their goal.All you need to do is add... “implementation”. Thanks Cameron.