The Vision Code Summary

“I do have goals, too, and I think about them ALL the time!” And that is exactly what my problem was. I was thinking about my goals, a good thing, but even while working towards them, I was so consumed with it that I would think about them and get anxious. How can my own goals, something dear to my heart, hold me back?

Whenever I think of something but can’t think of what it was I was thinking of, I can’t stop thinking until I think I’m thinking of it again. I think I think too much.  ― Criss Jami, Killosophy

Here’s the problem with thinking — there is no structure to it. It’s wild. You visit places, you witness euphoria, it has no strong sense of clarity, and it starts scaring you or intimidating you, then you feel threatened. Cause thinking has no bounds. That’s what I struggled with for so long that it started creating pullback in my life, and I recognized the need to change.

This led me to start reading about vision proactively. I know a friend who is an author. I knew I had to approach him. He could help me out. I started sharing my problems with him. He was considerate, heard me throughout, and eventually suggested ‘The Vision Code’ book by Dr Oleg Konovalov. I got more fired up and was going to order right away, but something crossed my mind. How can reading about goals, vision, or leadership solve my problem? I already had a lot on my plate, things to figure out, people to meet, academic knowledge to gain, network, and learn things for personal growth, so I wondered where does vision fit in at all? My worried state of mind didn’t stop me, and I ended up making the right decision and ordering the book.

When people are just drifting along with the tides of life and can’t see the shores of reality anymore, they may experience someday the irresistible desire for a liberating burst, emerging deeply from the inner self and disentangling them from their manufactured pattern. That day might be a day of all possibilities and make them ready to hit the ground running. (“A change of vision” ). ― Erik Pevernagie

Now I realize how wrong I was. Reading the book made me understand that it’s not a vision that needs to fit in my life. It’s my day to day life itself that fits under one vision that I need to work towards. I felt like I was trying to win sprints instead of a marathon. The aha moment it was!

Let’s get right into the ‘The Vision Code’ so you don’t go confused like me and start directing yourself towards the right way, where you want your life to go.

What’s The Book About?

This book explores vision in depth from the point of view of various successful leaders and entrepreneurs who materialized their vision into reality. They all come together to talk about the process, the reasoning and the purpose behind their vision. The author, Dr Oleg Konovalov, is a thought leader, business educator and consultant, identified the struggle of coherent strategy within organizations and defined four stages of the vision development through which real change can be achieved.

If you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood and sweat and tears. ― Simon Sinek

Vision is seen as a frame that you nail to the office wall. Doctor Oleg emphasizes how it’s not just a sign but a symbol. It should be able to connect and motivate people in the organization to work together towards a common purpose, attracting supporters to make it to reality. Again, not workers but supporters!

If we have a vision and it only does little for the people we are associated with, it’s also going to bring back a lot less value to us. It’s a two-way street. It’s all about value creation for the people involved in our lives, caring about them, putting them on the front foot and growing with them and their mindset. You cannot expect people to be making collective efforts for goals that don’t align with them, and if you do, you’re completely off the track with the expectations.

The problem is that most leaders don’t allow their people to make decisions. They don’t understand that they have a parental role in helping others develop their ability to make decisions. A good leader wants thinkers, not spectators.— Oleg Konovalov, The Vision Code

Every leader I have read or watched interviews of had areas of understanding. They don’t give out straightforward advice, motivate, or pump people up. They instead believe in serving people from an observational mindset. Poor understanding can lead to a mess in the execution. Keeping it simple will help reach across to people much easier. If vision is complex, it will do no good and turn people off instead. If they don’t understand it, your vision will become a personal goal. For a compelling vision, you need to work for the betterment of people, keep the scope for change to scale, assume immediate responsibility, look out for changes, keep it simple stupid, and bring excitement and burning desire to your life.

For more book recommendations, check out BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS!

What I Learned from the book -

Fear to Share — My idea will be stolen is the biggest fear faced by entrepreneurs today. Holding back information is also a common practice, but if you don’t share what you believe in, how will people help you out? You will face a lack of new ideas a lot, which will make you feel stuck. Transparency leads to vision and support getting bigger and bigger, and you meet with many new opportunities and knocks on the door that you didn’t even think were possible.

Summary in 3 minutes:-

1. Serving — It’s your job to bring pleasure to the work. Make people feel comfortable and gain substantial benefit from your vision. When vision collapses, it goes unnoticed; it is not grounded in people’s desires, so creating it according to the needs and desires of people will allow people to become part of your ecosystem and be actively involved.
2. Spotlight — When everyone’s looking up to you, you need to take immediate responsibility. And it’s a whole range of responsibilities. You cannot take things for granted. This mindset will allow you to bring out the best in others and help enrich their lives, attracting supporters to your vision.
3. Knowledge Bank — Keep all the unfinished projects aside and focus on the positive outcomes. All the positives and knowledge in your power must be pulled together. Vision survives and feeds on knowledge. Your knowledge bank should be put to use and practiced consistently until it becomes part of your muscle memory.
4. Scan Environment — You want to impact your surroundings; heck, you are a visionary; you want to impact the entire world! So you need to notice and know more about the world as well. Every small change teaches a lesson. The environment has all the answers; just keep your eyes and mind open for the constant development of your senses.
5. Language Matters — Vision requires the usage of old terms in new ways or the invention of new terms. Language break barriers, create emotions and help you become more approachable. That’s how visionaries connect minds and hearts. Use simple and appealing language as an instrument to share your vision.

Conclusion

Dr Oleg Konovalov is a global thought leader, author, business educator, consultant, and C-suite coach. He interviewed various top leadership coaches and provided his insights as dynamically as possible in The Vision Code. From defining the importance of vision, core elements, and examples to put it in everyday use to the practical tips at the end of each chapter, this book will provide a crisp version of mentorship to you. Caution: It might resonate so well that you will end up binge reading the book.

Grab your copy here : https://amzn.to/3wYEaUi 

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