2.2.9.4. Harvard Business Review Article

James C. Collins & Jerry I. Porras — “Building Your Company’s Vision” (Harvard Business Review)

In this article, James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras frame vision not as an inspirational tagline or branding element, but as a structural component of leadership and strategy. They distinguish between Core Ideology (enduring purpose and values) and the Envisioned Future (the concrete, ambitious future state the organization is committed to creating). This distinction aligns directly with the focus of this lesson: vision is not decorative language — it is architecture.

Core ideology represents what must never change — the principles, beliefs, and reasons for existence that define identity over time. The envisioned future represents what must change — the future reality leadership is willing to build through long-term commitment, disciplined execution, and strategic persistence. When these two dimensions are clearly defined and integrated, vision stops being a statement on a wall and becomes a practical mechanism for decision-making, prioritization, and alignment.

One of the most important contributions of this article is the idea that vision becomes truly useful only when it introduces focus and constraint. A clear vision enables leaders to distinguish between actions that move the organization toward its envisioned future and actions that merely create activity. This mirrors a core principle of this lesson: vision is a filter. It clarifies what matters, what does not, and what must wait — thereby protecting strategy from fragmentation and reactive decision-making.

The authors also stress that the envisioned future must be bold, specific, and imaginable. It should stretch the organization beyond its current capabilities while remaining concrete enough that people can see and feel the future they are building. When teams understand both why the work matters (core ideology) and what they are building (envisioned future), engagement deepens, alignment strengthens, and execution gains coherence over time.

As you read “Building Your Company’s Vision,” pay attention to how Collins and Porras describe:

• The distinction between who you are (core ideology) and where you are going (envisioned future).
• Why vague, general visions fail to guide behavior — and how specificity transforms vision into strategy.
• How a well-constructed vision provides both stability (through identity) and momentum (through ambition and direction).

Post-reading application

After reading the article, take a moment to map your own emerging vision using the two-part structure proposed by Collins and Porras:

1. Define your core ideology.
   In 3–4 sentences, describe the purpose and values that must remain stable in your venture over time. Ask yourself: “What would still be true about why we exist, even if our products, tactics, or markets change?”
2. Describe your envisioned future.
   Write a short, vivid description of the future state you are committed to building in the next 10–15 years. Focus on what will exist, who will be impacted, and how the world, market, or community will be meaningfully different.

Treat this exercise as an early draft of your long-term vision architecture. You will refine language and structure over time, but the discipline of separating identity from destination is central to becoming a vision-driven leader.