Key Idea

It's important to effectively communicate your vision to key stakeholders on your project. To communicate your vision, start by looking at it from the perspective of each of your key stakeholders. Try to identify what would most energize and inspire them to achieve your desired end-state. When you communicate your vision to stakeholders, clearly spell out the benefits of your alternative future in terms of its impact on them. Be sure to use terminology and concepts that they will easily understand and relate to.

One prerequisite for communicating your vision effectively is the credibility you establish with your audience. Credibility derives from two factors: expertise and trust.

When you exercise sound judgment that proves you're knowledgeable about your ideas, and accumulate a history of successes, people perceive you as an expert. If you are candid and sincere and put others' interests ahead of your own, you will earn people's trust.

Only by establishing your trustworthiness and your expertise will you build the credibility you need to get your audience to believe in — and follow — your vision.