You’re Missing Strategy Because You’re Missing This…

Let’s cut to it—if you’re struggling with your strategy right now, it’s not because you lack talent, time, or even tools.

It’s because you’re missing something deeper.
Something essential.
Something most leaders overlook.

You’re missing vision.

Vision isn’t fluff. It’s not a poster on the wall or a slogan at the staff meeting. It’s the clearest picture of the future you’re fighting for—and without it, strategy becomes scattered. You can have the best intentions in the world, but without a target, every action feels like a shot in the dark.

Vision gives you strategy. It creates clarity, fuels focus, and aligns your energy with your goals.

Let’s unpack why this matters more than ever—and how you can shift your leadership from reactive to resolute starting today. If there’s one thing I’ve discovered over the years coaching leaders, it’s this: Vision isn’t just a distant dream—it’s the compass that gives us direction today. When you have a clear, compelling vision for the future, you don’t wander aimlessly hoping things will work out. You strategize. You prioritize. You move with purpose.

Vision Brings Clarity

Think of leadership like a pair of glasses. Without vision, everything looks blurry. You can’t see where you’re headed, and your team doesn’t know what they’re aiming for. But when you gain vision, everything sharpens. You see the edges, the color, the path. Just like I describe in my book Leadology, vision is the lens that brings your world into focus. And once you can see clearly, you start to think strategically.

Strategy Is Born From Vision

Strategy doesn’t come from guesswork—it comes from foresight. Leaders who lack vision spend their time reacting to the chaos of the day. But leaders with vision? They’re proactively shaping tomorrow. They align resources, people, and processes with the end goal in mind.

In other words, your vision should inform your decisions today. If your vision is to build a world-class team, you’ll start investing in training now. If your vision is to expand your impact, you’ll start developing systems and structures that support scalability. Without vision, there’s no “why” to what you do. But with it, everything starts to make sense.

Hope Fuels the Journey

Vision also ignites hope. And hope is the greatest fuel a leader can give their team. As I wrote in The Hope Giving Leader, “When hope fills the heart, dreams of a better future overflow into reality.” Vision tells your people there’s something worth striving for—and strategy gives them the how.

Without hope, people disengage. They give up. But with hope, they go further than they ever thought possible. That’s why strategy rooted in vision isn’t just tactical—it’s transformational.

Keep the Vision Alive

Great leaders don’t just cast a vision once and forget about it. They revisit it, refresh it, and reinforce it constantly, or as I like to say, “They say it, spray it, wheel it, deal it, and seal it!” Like Ronald Reagan said, “Our best days are ahead of us.” That kind of leadership reminds your team that the future is worth fighting for.

So if you’re feeling stuck or scattered, ask yourself this: Do I have a clear vision? If not, it’s time to get one. And if you do, let that vision guide your steps today. Because when you have vision for the future, you’ll have strategy in the present.

For more on vision, check out this podcast episode I did, where I talk about the could be, should be, and will be of vision. These three components of vision are what fuel your life and your organization. Vision is one of the most foundational elements of inspiring, communicating, and leading yourself and others. The more powerful the vision, the more productive people will be.