Leading with Vision: The Leaders Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce
| Simon Vetter, Bonnie Hagemann, John Maketa, 2017
What’s It All About?
In manufacturing, too many leaders are caught up in metrics and KPIs, yet struggle to connect people to a bigger picture. That disconnect shows up in engagement, retention, and ultimately performance. In their insightful book Leading with Vision: The Leader’s Blueprint for Creating a Compelling Vision and Engaging the Workforce, authors Bonnie Hagemann, Simon Vetter, and John Maketa show how leaders can bridge that gap.
Leading with Vision is based on a study of over 400 companies. It provides great insights into how many workers — especially Millennials and Gen Z—aren’t just chasing paychecks. They want meaning. These employees want to know what they’re working toward and how they fit into the future of their organization. If you’re a leader struggling to connect with team members like these, this book gives practical tools for getting clear on your vision, articulating it in a way that lands emotionally, and bringing your team along with you.
What I appreciated most was how real and direct it was. No fluff. It talks about how many leaders avoid vision work because it feels “soft” or abstract — but that’s exactly why people tune out. If you want to grow your business and attract great people who stick around, you need to be great at painting a picture of where you’re going and why it matters.
Favorite Quotes
"We’ve found that leaders are more likely to lead with numbers than vision… but here’s the issue: people drive the numbers."
Biggest Takeaway
Hagemann, Vetter, and Maketa describe something I think every leader in manufacturing needs to frequently revisit: clarity. The authors describe three types of clarity that stood out:
- Clarity of Purpose – Why we exist. Why we do what we do.
- Clarity of Direction – Where we’re going and what the future looks like.
- Clarity of Action – What we need to do right now to get there.
In plants where communication breaks down, it’s usually one of these three that’s missing. This section on clarity alone is worth the read.
Bonus Information
One part of the book took me back to my daughter’s figure skating days, particularly when she worked with a sports psychologist to visualize success. The same logic applies in business. When employees can picture what success looks like and feel connected to that future state, they naturally align their time, energy, and focus.
The book also asks a tough question: If the data is so strong, why do so few leaders focus on vision? The answer: because it takes intention. But the payoff is high. With improved intention, safety improves, quality tightens up, and people stop waiting to be told what to do. They start owning the mission.
Learn More on Mindfulness Manufacturing
Simon Vetter will be an upcoming guest on the Mindfulness Manufacturing podcast, where he’ll share how vision-building shows up in real-world leadership, especially in industries like manufacturing where the human side of performance often gets overlooked. His episode is coming June 25th, so stay tuned for more.