If You Don’t Know Your 3-Year Picture, Neither Does Your Team

A lot of business owners get this wrong, especially early on. They assume that because the vision is clear in their head, it must be clear to everyone else too. It’s not.

You might see where your company is going. You might be able to picture the revenue, the size of your team, the client roster, and the reputation you’re building. But if you haven’t written it down and shared it, it doesn’t count.

Leadership isn’t about keeping vision in your head. It’s about creating clarity that your entire team can rally around.

At Wayne Media, we run on EOS. One of the most powerful tools in that system is the Vision/Traction Organizer (V/TO). It forces you to make your vision concrete. Part of that is the 3-Year Picture, where you lay out exactly what your business will look like in three years. Clear. Measurable. Tangible.

And if that picture only exists in your mind, you’re not leading. You’re dragging.

Your Team Is Rowing, But Are They Aligned?

Most teams work hard. They’re showing up and rowing. But if they don’t know where the boat is going, their effort lacks direction. That’s not their fault. That’s on leadership.

We recently reviewed our updated V/TO with the full team. The feedback was honest and consistent. People appreciated the transparency. They were grateful to hear where we’re headed and how their work fits into it. Nobody asked for perfection. They just wanted clarity.

That meeting brought the team closer. It aligned people. And more than anything, it gave them peace of mind because now they’re not guessing.

Clarity Gives People Confidence

Sharing your vision once a year isn’t enough. You have to repeat it until you’re tired of hearing yourself say it. That’s usually the point when your team is just starting to absorb it. Your 3-Year Picture won’t be perfect. That’s not the goal. The goal is to create clarity today so your team can take action that moves the business forward.

At Wayne Media, we write our 3-Year Picture in the present tense. It’s specific. It’s measurable. And every department, from Creative to Web to Media, knows how their work ties into it. That’s what creates momentum.

Don’t Keep the Vision to Yourself

If you haven’t put your 3-Year Picture on paper, now’s the time. Don’t wait for it to be perfect. Just get it out of your head.

And once it’s written, don’t let it sit in a folder. Share it with your leadership team. Review it during your quarterly meetings. Connect it to your Rocks. Talk about it in one-on-ones. Bring it up in client conversations when it makes sense. Keep it front and center until your team starts bringing it up before you do.

When people know where the business is going, they move with purpose. They make better decisions. They row in the same direction. If you’re the only one who knows the destination, don’t be surprised when the team starts drifting off course.