Near the beginning of the year, it’s customary to think about our annual goals and ambitions and set plans to achieve them. Every year, I think about how I’m going to get more exercise and eat more healthily. However, those ambitions never seem to move beyond intention.

What is it that turns our good ambitions into results? While countless self-help gurus certainly have their ideas, from a leadership perspective, one of the most important aspects is a shared vision of what you want to achieve. It is that vision that motivates us and our teams to deliver every day.

When I first came to the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division, I sat down with the senior leaders here, and we thought in detail about what we really did, what we wanted to be and how we wanted people (customers, legislators, stakeholders, etc.) to see us. We considered what customers really felt as valuable. We researched our legislative mandates and obligations. We delineated what our stakeholders expected from us. And then, we defined what “good” looked like.

Once we had a feel for our vision, we had to easily and clearly make sure everyone else could understand the vision and work to achieve it. Our “true north” statement was born from that: “Out of the line and safely on the road.”

I’m not suggesting that a pithy header is all one needs for success, but being able to easily convey what is most important in getting to good is a powerful tool. Soon, people were able to make quick decisions simply by asking, “Does this get us ‘out of the line,’ and does it keep us ‘safely on the road?’” This was not due to the clever saying but to a common understanding of the shared vision. This allowed teams to act, knowing they were properly aligned and were expected to get people “out of the line and safely on the road.” Empowering our teams to act in accordance with the vision is a requisite for success.

Alternatively, as the old proverb says: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” If teams, agencies, companies or communities don’t have that shared vision, they each pull in their own direction or stand still not knowing where to go or what to do. Fear of making mistakes stymies innovation and progress. Bounding off in unaligned directions wastes resources and goodwill. It is the role of leaders at every level to focus efforts and eliminate fear so teams can deliver.

Looking to the year ahead, give a moment to think: “What is our vision, and does everyone know it well enough that they can act on it? How can I make sure they do? What can I do today that means next year I can reflect on a year of Safe Drivers, Safe Vehicles, Secure Identities and Saving Lives?”