Importance of a Vision to a Health Organization

This article discusses the importance of a vision to a health organization, using SHARP as an example. A vision sets out the directions for planning and gives the strategic planning for the framework of operations. An effective vision has a combination of ideas expressing the reason that an organization exists and its purpose. Effective communication of a vision depends on how leaders’ communication skills are effective.

Running Head: LEADERSHIP VISION 1
Leadership Vision
Institutional affiliation
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Importance of a Vision to a health Organization
The vision of an organization sets out the directions for planning. The mission statement
represents where the journey begins but the vision statement represents where the organization
sets out the destination. In an organization like SHARP the vision is to transform the experience
of healthcare through creating a culture of providing quality healthcare, caring for patients,
innovation and excellence. Their vision is to also make SHARP the best place to receive
healthcare and the best place to practice medicine. A vision gives the picture of an organization
when looked at from the future; it gives the strategic planning for the framework of operations. A
vision articulates the hopes and dreams for the company, establishing a foundation which is to be
used for planning. It is a reminder to those trying to build on what they are trying to build. It sets
out the planning direction for an organization. The vision capture the passion (Thomas, 2015).
While the founders of organizations like SHARP are bound by their creations, which are
the companies, the vision will help in taking the organization far. In healthcare organizations,
there needs to be a social lasting endeavor hence, there has to be a shared vision across the team,
which sustains everyone beyond the founder. In SHARP, operations occur in rapid and dynamic
environments which change from time to time. For one to understand the capabilities of the
organization, it is important to make future predictions based on the operating environment.
Therefore, a strategic direction and statement of identity takes the form of a vision statement
which serves as a map for the decisions of the organization in a five to ten-year period. In a
healthcare organization where team work is essential, having a shared purpose will have a
positive effect on the patients. If the vision is to ensure that patients smile, that creates a general
responsibility to get that outcome (Williamson et.al, 2016).

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An effective vision has a combination of ideas expressing the reason that an organization
exists and its purpose. An effective vision also covers what an organization strives to become
and their core values. SHARP’s vision reflects their core values. Also, a vision includes future
aspirations and goals, what makes an organization unique and the value of the organization. A
vison can also be considered effective if it is clear, relevant, has a direction and it is based on a
purpose (Iadanza & Dyro, 2014).
When articulating the vision of SHARP, the strengths of leadership in communicating
vision is to clearly articulate and communicate the organizational values to everyone.
Communication also makes leaders lead people towards a common goal. The other strength is
that leaders have a lot of communication to give to employees, but the single most important one
is communicating the vision. Therefore, communicating a compelling, clear vision with a
purpose increases the effectiveness of a leader in the healthcare set-up. Continued focus by
leadership on the vision creates the difference between mediocrity and excellence (Marquis &
Huston, 2009). The communication of the vision determines whether the battles are lost or won,
also ensures the team is headed to one direction. The weaknesses of not communicating vision
will make leaders lack clear goals, and a defined vision as to the future or fail to be understood
by the employees as to what is exactly required of them to reach the vision (Ledlow, & Coppola,
2013).
Conclusively, effective communication of a vision depends on how leaders’
communication skills are effective. More often than not, the future of a company resides with the
head, hence have the responsibility of making the vision a reality. Effective communication is
strong, effective and stimulating, propelling itself to a life of its own (Brown, 2011).

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References
Brown, M. (Ed.). (2011). Health Care Management: Strategy, Structure, and Process. Jones &
Bartlett Learning.
Iadanza, E., & Dyro, J. (2014). Clinical engineering handbook. Elsevier.
Ledlow, G. J. R., & Coppola, M. N. (2013). Leadership for health professionals. Jones &
Bartlett
Marquis, B. L., & Huston, C. J. (2009). Leadership roles and management functions in nursing:
Theory and application. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Learning.
Thomas, T. (2015). Management and leadership for nurse administrators. Jones & Bartlett
Publishers.
Williamson, S., Loudon, D. L., Stevens, R. E., & Migliore, R. H. (2016). Fundamentals of
strategic planning for healthcare organizations. Psychology Press.