Whats in a Vision?
Conley says that vision exists when people in an organization share an explicit agreement on the values, beliefs, purposes, and goals that should guide their behavior. More simply, he calls it “an internal compass.” Thomas Sergiovanni (1994) characterizes vision as an “educational platform” that incorporates the school’s beliefs about the preferred aims, methods, and climate, thereby creating a “community of mind” that establishes behavioral norms. Kathryn Whitaker and Monte Moses (1994) call it “an inspiring declaration of a compelling dream, accompanied by a clear scenario of how it will be accomplished.” A good vision not only has worthy goals, but also challenges and stretches everyone in the school. Why Does Vision Matter? Robert Fritz (1996) says that organizations advance when a clear, widely understood vision creates tension between the real and the ideal, pushing people to work together to reduce the gap. This unifying effect is especially important in school settings known fo
