Wyoming Workforce Planning
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Vision

Definition

Understanding of how an organization must change in light of internal and external trends, influences, political situations and future technology.
 

Behavioral Descriptions
Proficiency Level 5

  • Develops vision, maintains long-range perspective.

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  • Formulates dynamic picture of the organization’s long-range perspective.

  • Leads the development of the vision for the organization.

  • Describes the vision and values in compelling terms to develop understanding and promote acceptance/ commitment among staff and stakeholders.

  • Identifies trends or connections between organizational issues and translates into priorities for the organization.

  • Understands both internal and external elements that affect the organization.

  • Communicates direction to all levels of the organization.
Proficiency Level 4

  • Makes connection between influences and vision.  Influences strategic direction.

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  • Recognizes relationship between trends and influences and the direction the organization must take.

  • Imagines and communicates unique methods for achieving organizational success.

  • Foresees obstacles and opportunities for the organization and acts accordingly.

  • Scans, seeks out and assesses information on potential future directions.

  • Provides direction and communicates the vision to encourage alignment within the organization.
Proficiency Level 3

  • Understands organizational direction.  Aligns program/operational goals and plans.

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  • Makes personal contribution toward organizational goals and objectives.

  • Works with teams to set program/operational goals and plans in keeping with the strategic direction.

  • Regularly promotes the organization, its vision and values to clients,  stakeholders and partners.

  • Works with staff to set strategic goals for own sector of the organization.

  • Assesses the gap between the current state and desired future direction and establishes effective ways for closing the gap in own sector.

  • Working knowledge of organizational direction.

  • Sees where leadership intends to take the organization.
Proficiency Level 2

  • Basic understanding of mission.  Demonstrates personal work alignment.

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  • Basic understanding of organizational goals and direction.

  • Makes minimal contribution toward organizational goals and objectives.

  • Sets personal work goals in line with operational goals of work area.

  • Continually evaluates personal progress and behavior to ensure alignment with organizational values and operational goals.
Proficiency Level 1

  • Does not understand mission.

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  • Doesn't understand mission, direction, or goals of the organization.

  • Doesn’t care where organization is headed.
Suggested Activities for Development

  • Review your agency’s strategic, information technology, and workforce plan. Ask someone to clarify anything you do not understand. Write out how the work you do supports the organization’s goals and objectives.

  • Volunteer to serve on your agency’s strategic, information technology, and/or workforce planning committee.

  • When working on a long-term project, outline how it aligns with the agency’s mission. Describe how each step in the project directly impacts the agency’s goals and objectives.

  • Volunteer to speak at new employee orientation and/or orient a new employee. Share your agency’s vision with new employees and/or mentees.

  • Create an opportunity each day to express your commitment to the vision.   Keep a log of your efforts.

  • Develop an organization-wide initiative. Consider the implications for other divisions within the organization. Discuss how your plan supports the organization’s goals and objectives with others.

  • Identify organizations that are viewed as benchmarks. Analyze their process and practices. Think about innovative practices that will enhance your agency’s ability to achieve its goals and objectives. Establish a plan of action and share your thoughts with your supervisor and colleagues.

  • When considering a new initiative and/or process, try to engage in “what if” thinking. Consider the impact upon customers, employees, etc.

  • List the long-term goals of your work-unit.  Establish short-term goals that will help you achieve the long-term goals.  Monitor the achievement of both short and long-term goals.

  • Deliver a motivational speech on a topic that interests you.

  • Establish a communication plan for articulating your vision for an organization, department, or work unit.

  • Identify a recent organizational change. Write down your thoughts about the long-term implications of this change (including political implications). Monitor the impact of the change and compare it to your earlier thoughts. Identify any insights gained.

  • Develop a presentation of your vision. Create a graphical image that reinforces the key concepts of your vision. Present your vision at a staff meeting.

  • Write down the internal and external forces that will help make your vision a reality. Then, write down the forces that can hinder your vision. Identify the most significant forces from each list. Establish an action plan to reduce the forces that may hinder your vision. Then, establish a plan of action to increase the forces that will support your vision.
Recommended Courses
Additional Resource

Books

  • 20/20 Foresight: Crafting Strategy in an Uncertain World by H.Courtney (Harvard Business School Press, 2001). McKinsey consultant Courtney argues convincingly that managers can approach uncertainty systematically. Most managers, he says, either ignore potential problems or try to map out them out in painful detail. The better approach, Courtney contends, is to classify risk (e.g., a relatively clear future, a range of possibilities or true ambiguity) and hone a strategy based on a checklist he provides for each category.

  • Essential Managers: Strategic Thinking by A. Bruce &, K. Langdon (DK Publishing, 2000). This book includes concise and handy visual and verbal tips on gathering and analyzing key information, setting short- and long-term objectives, developing your team leadership skills, predicting future trends, and maintaining a flexible approach throughout. It also covers the essential tools of strategic management, from SWOT (strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats) analysis and feasibility studies to budgeting forecasts and contingency plans.

  • The Mission-Driven Organization : From Mission Statement to a Thriving Enterprise, Here's Your Blueprint for Building an Inspired, Cohesive, Customer-Oriented Team by B. Wall, M. Sobol & R. Solum (Prima Publishing, 1999). This book shows you step by step how to reinvigorate your company with this new way of thinking. Inside, you'll learn how to draft and communicate a powerful vision statement, create the teamwork necessary to realize your vision, understand and manage rapid change, build participation and handle conflict, keep the vision a permanent part of the company.

  • Renewing Government: Innovative and Inspiring Visions by N. Nelissen, M. Bemelmans-Videc, A. Godfroij & P. de Goede (International Books, 1999). Renewing Government offers invaluable insights into the current debate on fundamental issues concerning innovation in public administration, crossing national, linguistic and academic barriers. The book makes intelligent and stimulating reading for teachers and students of public administration, public policy and political science, as well as for political and administrative consultants and practioners.

  • The Power of Alignment: How Great Companies Stay Centered and Accomplish Extraordinary Things by G. Labivitz & V. Rosansky (John Wiley and Sons, 1997). This groundbreaking book shows you how to get and keep all the vital elements of your organization aligned and headed in the same direction at the same time. Alignment links the five key elements of an organization -people, process, customers, business strategies, and, of course, leadership -to obtain breakthrough results, chief among them, sustained growth and profit, loyal customers, and a high-performing work force.

  • Choosing the Future: The Power of Strategic Thinking by S. Wells (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1997). This book will help you to improve your thinking skills in any organizational context. Business professionals in particular will find that Wells' lessons teach you to use your business knowledge to discover your own ideas about strategic direction and corporate or company vision. This book will help you achieve this success by studying fundamentals such as effective group thinking, knowing when to delay a decision for more information, balancing contrasting modes of thought, and transforming thought into action.

  • Scenarios: The Art of Strategic Conversation by K. Van Der Heijden (John Wiley & Sons, 1996). Deals with how managers can set out and negotiate a successful course into the future for the organization in the face of significant uncertainty. Discusses the principles of organizational learning and describes practical ways to develop the skills in conducting an ongoing scenario-based strategy process.
Behavioral-Based Interviewing Questions