11. March 2025 By Sanna Keskioja
Eyes on the target: how vision drives organisational change
In today's ever-evolving business landscape, the one constant is change. Throughout my career, I have seen companies push to reinvent themselves, driven by the need to stay competitive in an ever-evolving market. Transformation is no longer optional—it’s a necessity.
At the heart of every organisational change lies a project. And as many of us have experienced first-hand, these projects can be as prone to failure as they are to success. So, what makes the difference? From what I’ve observed, it all comes down to vision, leadership, and execution.
The tough road to change is smoother with people along
Change must serve a purpose; it is not an absolute value. Through change, organisations aim to remake themselves into significantly stronger competitors, adapting to a new, more challenging market environment (1). However, transformation is not easy. It is costly, emotionally burdensome, and the outcomes are often uncertain.
During my nearly twenty years in project delivery, I have witnessed both failures and successes. This experience is familiar to many. In 2021, EY and Oxford University Saïd Business College interviewed business leaders, revealing that 85 percent of them had been involved in two or more transformations in the last five years. Two-thirds stated that at least one of those projects had underperformed (2).
Why do transformation projects fail?
There are multiple reasons why transformation efforts fall short. However, few organisations publicly admit how much money they have burned on unsuccessful initiatives. Fortunately, those who succeed are more willing to share their victories.
One key success factor is actively engaging people in the transformation process. Studies show that when people are involved, the chances of success are 2.6 times higher (3).
Inspiring vision gives a higher purpose
How do you bring people along on this journey? Simon Sinek’s famous "Start with Why" model emphasises that people are more likely to embrace change when the vision is inspiring and purposeful (4).
When leaders articulate a clear vision, employees gain a shared direction—a North Star to guide them. Unfortunately, I have seen too many cases where employees feel lost because leadership fails to clearly communicate expectations.
A strong vision goes beyond financial goals. Employees are motivated by their organisation’s contribution to society, commitment to customers, and support for personal career growth. The most successful transformations empower employees across different levels to contribute ideas that refine and improve the focus of the change (5).
Historical and modern success stories of vision-driven leadership
A well-documented historical example is Dwight Eisenhower during World War II. As the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, he devoted extensive time to planning the Allied invasion. He embraced diverse viewpoints, evaluated risks, and identified failure points—a process that allowed his team to understand both the essence of success and the consequences of failure (6).
A modern corporate example is Salesforce. CEO Marc Benioff starts each year’s planning with a clear overall vision, which is shared across the company. Employees receive specific key steps on how to contribute to this vision, helping them balance short-term goals with the long-term strategy. The company’s consistent growth and positive stock performance reflect the effectiveness of this vision-driven approach (7).
You got the vision, so what?
Through my experience, I’ve found that even after investing hours in refining and communicating a vision, people can still struggle with clarity. To minimize confusion and ensure alignment, these five key points have proven to be essential (8):
1. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
You can’t communicate too much. Busy people easily overlook a single email from management, and a company-wide meeting alone is rarely enough. To truly keep employees informed and engaged, the vision must be communicated consistently across multiple channels, ensuring that it stays visible, relevant, and actionable.
2. Fly at the Right Altitude
People want to understand how the vision impacts them personally - “What’s in it for me?”. If leaders communicate only at a high strategic level, the message can feel abstract and disconnected from daily work. The key is to translate the vision into concrete, meaningful actions tailored to different audiences, making it relevant and actionable for everyone in the organization (9).
3. Align Actions with Words
Set clear expectations and priorities. If employees are overwhelmed with non-essential tasks, they won’t fully commit to the vision. Not everything can be a top priority, and leaders must ensure that employees have the capacity to focus on what truly matters.
4. Accept That Opinions Will Vary
Some employees will disagree with the vision, but instead of saying so, they may blame poor communication or become passive-aggressive due to job security fears. Leaders must listen to concerns and address them proactively rather than assuming resistance is due to a lack of understanding.
5. Recognise That Not Everyone Wants Change
Some people just don’t like change. In today’s fast-changing business world, this mindset can be risky—resistance to change can eventually lead to redundancy. Leaders need to support those struggling with change while making it clear that adaptability is necessary.
Don’t let setbacks discourage you – make change work
Over the years, I have seen struggling projects revived into success stories. The turning point is never just about fixing processes—it’s about clarifying the vision and aligning it with strategy.
Successful project turnarounds rely on a strong communication plan, empowered sponsors who lead by example, and change agents who act as role models.
Beyond setting direction, it’s crucial to track both tangible metrics and behavioural adoption, ensuring that progress is measurable and meaningful. Celebrating milestones keeps momentum strong, while tough decisions must always be evaluated against the vision and reflected in project plans and schedules.
A project without a clear, well-communicated vision is just execution without purpose - and that’s a recipe for failure.
Final thought: test your vision
Working with vision is an ongoing process. Check regularly if it is still relevant and aligned with strategy, or if adjustments are needed. Before starting any project, small or large, ask yourself: Do I know where I’m trying to go and why?
Develop an elevator pitch for your vision and test it with your inner circle. If they don’t believe in it, chances are no one else will either.
The success of your transformation hinges on how well your vision resonates. Make it clear, compelling, and actionable - and then put it to work.
And here’s what I’ve learned: The best visions aren’t perfect from the start. They evolve, they get tested, they face resistance. But when you keep refining and driving them forward, that’s when they turn into something real. So don’t wait for the perfect vision - start with a clear direction, commit to it, and let it grow as you move forward.
Contact me: sanna.keskioja@adesso-finland.fi
References:
Kotter, J.P., Harvard Business Review, January 2007. Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Available: https://hbr.org/2007/01/leading-change-why-transformation-efforts-fail.
Gardner, E., 20.10.2022, EY and University of Oxford Saïd Business College. How do you harness the power of people to double transformation success. Available: https://www.ey.com/en_gl/insights/consulting/how-transformations-with-humans-at-the-center-can-double-your-success.
White, A., Canwell, A. et al., 2022. The Future of Transformation is Human, the University of Oxford Saïd Business School and EY white paper. Available: ey-the-future-of-transformation-is-human.pdf.
Sinek, S., TEDTalk, September 2009. How Great Leaders Inspire Action. Available: https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.
White, A., Smets, M., and Canwell, A., Harvard Business Journal (HBR), 18.7.2022. Organisational Transformation is an Emotional Journey. Available: https://hbr.org/2022/07/organizational-transformation-is-an-emotional-journey.
Piasecki, D., McKinsey & Company, Our Insights, 29.8.2023. The COO Agenda: Vision, Plan, and Execution. Available: Planning and executing the COO vision (mckinsey.com).
London, L., Madner, S., Skerritt, McKinsey & Company, Our Insights, 23.9.2021. How Many People Are Really Needed in a Transformation?. Available: Seven percent solution? How many employees should be involved in your transformation? | McKinsey.
Strauss Einhorn, C., HBR.org, 16.11.2020. When Managing Through Ambiguity, Develop a Clear Vision. Available: https://hbr.org/2020/11/when-managing-through-ambiguity-develop-a-clear-vision.
Ashkenas, R., and Moore, P.D., HBR.org, 4.8.2022. Keeping Sight of Your Company’s Long-Term Vision. Available: https://hbr.org/2022/04/keeping-sight-of-your-companys-long-term-vision.
Nawaz, S., HBR.org, 7.9.2021. 5 Reasons Your Employees Don’t Understand Your Company’s Vision. Available: https://hbr.org/2021/09/5-reasons-your-employees-dont-understand-your-companys-vision?autocomplete=true.
