Feather-like Vision

By: Duke Rohe  drohe@att.net

Overview:

• First, this exercise illustrates the difference between focusing on just our specific roles verses focusing on a clear vision or greater purpose.  Just looking at where the stem of the feather touched your finger is like only looking at the circumstances at hand, worrying about just your job.  This tends to soak up your entire concentration and you literally feel like you are chasing deadlines to keep them balanced.  The bigger picture doesn’t matter.  In fact, you may even run into things, such as other departments, even your customer, trying get your job done.

• Second, when you lift your eyes to the vision of where your organization is going, efforts tend to coordinate and stabilize.  In fact, you are not even worried about what your finger is doing; you are just focusing on the vision and it leads to the correct decisions.  As everyone sees this same vision, their efforts naturally align. What is different between the first and second exercises?  It is the same feather, same dexterity; just a different focus.  Vision in life works the same way.  Keep your eyes on the greater purpose, ultimate goal and you will experience ease in decision making like never before.

• Third, broken focus is the bane of progress.  Leadership constantly changing direction or neglect in keeping the vision on the front burner sends a mixed message.  It virtually blocks a staff person’s line of sight of carrying out the vision.

Purpose: Illustrate the value of a great vision, how it needs to be communicated and reinforced.

Participants: Pairs, groups of 2 to 20.

Materials: Go to an import or a craft store get a peacock feather at least 3 foot long for one or two dollars.

Time: 15 minutes

Procedure:

• First, put the end of the feather on your fingertip and just focus where the stem of the feather touches your finger.  Make sure you are not looking at the rest of the feather.   OK, now try to balance it while looking only at where it touches your finger.  If you are like most, you end up moving all over the place trying to keep the feather from falling over.  If you are not careful you may even bump into things.  A bit difficult would you say?

• Second, take the feather, put the feather on the tip of your finger like before, but this time, look up and concentrate on the “eye” of the peacock feather.  Let go and experience the ease and stability of balancing compared to the previous attempt.

• Third, while in the middle of second exercise, block the vision (with a sheet of paper) between person and the top of the feather.

Debrief: Everyone write down some insights concerning each exercise.  Pair up and share with a partner for a few minutes.  See if some folks would be willing to share some good insight their partner had.  Supplement some of the comments with the synopsis below if it helps.

1. In light of an organization’s vision, what would the first exercise illustrate?
2. How about the second?
3. And the third?
4. What implications would this have in vision development?
5. What about vision reinforcement?
6. What about frequency of communication?
7. Does this have application in personal life as well?

This exercise illustrates the difference between focusing on just our specific roles verses focusing on a clear vision or greater purpose.  Just looking at where the stem of the feather touched your finger is like only looking at the circumstances at hand, worrying about just your job.  This tends to soak up your entire concentration and you literally feel like you are chasing deadlines to keep them balanced.  The bigger picture doesn’t matter.  In fact, you may even run into things, such as other departments, even your customer, trying to get your job done.