Even Government Needs Direction

This morning, I was watching a Web TV show on a interview about the "candid conversations and insightful interviews." There was a segment where Keith Sirois from Big Boy Restaurants and Roy Hellwege from Bank of Florida. The topic was "From Surviving to Thriving - Leaders at the Mic." 

As the show progressed, the host of the show dug in and peeled back the layers; The topic of conversation zeroed in on the top three initiatives that should be implemented to turn the economy around. He gave both guests an opportunity to answer the question of their top three. He started with Mr. Hellwege.

Mr. Hellwege list was straight and to the point: 1) Lower taxes and less regulation; 2) Fiscal Discipline and; 3) Education. It was very well stated and he had many points to back up his list. Mr. Sirois was next, "Jobs is the issue, Jobs is the issue, Jobs is the issue are my top three" he said.

"It’s about jobs...There is money out there; we have money in our businesses." Says Keith Sirois, CEO of Big Boy. "We don't know if we can spend it now for capital improvements, new construction, things like that; or if we are going to need it next year or the year after that for taxes, healthcare or some other mandate that we have no idea what it’s going to cost." He goes on to say, "At the federal government level and at the state level...there needs to be some clear direction on where we're going, and what the requirements are and what it's going to costs. Because we (businesses) are going to sit back and sit on our hands until we know."

WOW! What an awesome statement by Mr. Sirois. Did you catch what he said? He said, and I'm paraphrasing, business have money, and they are not going to start spending until they know what the direction the country is taking? He is not talking about the difference between a republican and democratic direction/strategy; he is referring to just HAVING a strategy. He is saying; just tell us what the vision is for the next few years so we (businesses) can get on board; so we can set objectives, plan our work and make money (get results) without all of the out of our control foreign elements hitting us from all sides.

Just like when following business leaders, government leaders have the same responsibility to share the vision with us. In business, if leadership is indecisive on where the company is going you will get a lot of wheel spinning and very little results. Hence, the same will occur when our government leaders are on different pages, you will get a lot of action, but the results will be virtually non-existent or they won't have any meaning. 

People, the American people, are tenacious, they are doers, they are proud and they stop at almost nothing. When things get tough, they get going. It has happened in the past, it is happening now and it will happen in the future. I love the American worker. However, if you don’t give them vision/direction they will still work, they just won’t be working on what it is that will give your company or America the best and most cost effective results. 

As I have said in the past, you must have a vision and the Vision must be communicated so that everyone understands it. An understood vision will lead to goals. Goals will create actions and; Actions will produce desired results. Results will tie back to the vision of the organization. This works no matter what the organization looks like, government, business (large or small) and all others. Now go out there and share your vision with your teams!    Get Vision, Get Results.