On Vision

KiKi’s Take on Episode 1 of Why Community Matters: Vision

Editor’s note: This is my personal take on the subject discussed in episode 1 of the Why Community Matters series. For episode 1 (you can view and listen to it here), we discussed the importance of having a shared vision for a community.

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“The Obstacle is the Way”

Sometimes it’s hard to write about what I’m thinking because I don’t want to have to document an uncomfortable truth.

But, like a fart in a hot car, there’s no denying it. Many of us, maybe most of us, are walking around without any real vision for our communities.

I mean, sure. We can have a pretty vision statement prepared, technically checking the vision box so that we feel like we have earned our favored spot at the head of the CEO or Chair of the Board table. But really, if we had to be honest, how many of us truly feel a sense of clarity around the vision for a community we lead? 

Before anyone writes in to tell me, “KiKi, my Lions Club most definitely has a vision!” let me stop you right there. 

First, I’m not really talking about communities of service right now. (Although if you don’t have a vision for your community of service, you are in trouble, too). 

Second, I never said NO ONE has a vision for their community. 

There are certainly some wonderful people who do an impressive job of keeping all the cats herded and all their fellow humans fully informed and knowledgeable about the vision for their work together. 

They will never hear the plaintive wail of a council member pleading at the end of a long Zoom call, “What is the purpose of this task force, again? Why are we all here?”

They won’t. But I have.

In fact, I seem to remember a couple of times wishing I could ask that out loud, just to remind folks so we could stay on task. 

I remember spending two days in an in-person council gathering with several peers flipping through the large Post-It pads in the front of the conference room, writing in big black strokes with their Expo markers, the list of what the Council was actually supposed to be doing…attempting to answer “Why are we here?”

We spent almost two full days in an existential crisis. It’s no wonder I used to drink a lot. 

Ideally, the vision part comes early, clearly, and in such a way that every single person can say, in roughly the same words, what their community is and where it’s going. 

And here’s the tough part for me. 

What is Association Chat? Easy!

Association Chat is a community of forward-thinking professionals who work in the association industry. 

It is a community. But it is also a podcast, blog, book club, and sometimes it provides resources for learning.

It is an LLC owned and managed by me.

But where is Association Chat going?

That’s not always so easy to answer. 

There’s always been an openness to the vision for Association Chat. And to some extent, that’s been on purpose. 

In the past, I’ve said:

“Association Chat will be the number one podcast in the association industry.”

“Association Chat will be a home for online learning for association professionals.”

“Association Chat will be the Gartner for the association market.”

“Association Chat is my muse and I just want to have fun with it.”

And that is the fart in the car. The stinky, gross, uncomfortable lingering truth of it all. 

But is it? 

I mean, it’s not fun and I’d rather not sit with it for long. But as my husband reminded me, I’ve had visions all along the way. I’ve just never settled on one. But I may be honing in on one vision after 12 years.

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