Leadership, vision and motivation: what do they have in common?

Among the most common difficulties that leaders face in business is to inspire in people the motivation to pursue the desired goals: this is what leadership is all about.

Why is this so difficult?

Why do people, instead of “pushing” for results, seem to wish to be “pulled”?

A not-so-well-known (and used) tool is the vision, which consists essentially of the

depiction of a likely future and the role people can play in it.

The vision of ourselves in a future scenario can substantially influence our choices and our motivation to behave in one direction rather than another.

How to employ the concept of vision
to inspire people the motivation to act in the desired direction?

This one is definitely not the place for an extended discussion.

I will just give you an example by employing a quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, writer and aviator:

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood
and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them
to long for the endless immensity of the sea.

What do you think?