This blog entry was originally published as an article in the November 2011 edition of the ACSeS magazine, "A Passion for Leadership & Going Beyond Austerity".

Iken Business is a growing technology company, so change is guaranteed on a continuing basis - and where there is change, there is a need for leadership. During 2010 I realised we had been focusing on management structures, with insufficient emphasis on leadership, so I took myself off on a leadership development course to better understand what I needed to do and, by extension, what the team also needed to do. Thus began a continuous journey and here are some of my reflections on that journey so far.

One of the things I have recently been asked to help with is our company Vision and Values.   This has proved to be a very interesting albeit thorny subject to get my teeth into with many more questions raised throughout the process than there were at the beginning.  It got me thinking…

What is vision?  What will the effects of that vision be?   What will change?  Will that change be good (or bad?)

Without vision where would we be?   Somewhere along the line, someone has decided, at some point, to implement procedures, processes and thoughts into successful business practice.   But is that enough?   For any business to continue growing and diversifying in today’s strenuous economic climate, there must be a clear and concise vision, developed by the company, for the company and most importantly of all, believed in by everyone who works there!