Leading Loud, Building Better: Turn Your Vision into Actionable Goals

Last week, we talked about why strategic planning matters. Let’s assume you’re convinced (yay!). But before you’re ready to charge ahead, maybe you’re thinking: “Sure, but we’ve never done this before. Where do we even start?”

Good news: it doesn’t have to be complicated. Strategic planning really starts with two steps:

1. Name your future.

2. Chart a clear path to get there.

Step 1: Name Your Future

Vision is about the world you want to create — not just “be the best.”

For us, with RealTalk Strategies, our vision is:“A world where every leader is empowered with the clarity and confidence to lead loud and build better.”

That’s not a one-year goal — it’s a 10–15 year kind of vision. We may never check it off a to-do list, but we can move the needle in our corner of the world.

Now — don’t get hung up on thinking your vision has to be “world peace” or a moonshot dream. It might be about stability: maintaining a strong, healthy team, or protecting the culture you’ve worked hard to build. Those are powerful visions, too.

The point isn’t how big your vision is — it’s that it’s clear enough to guide decisions.

Step 2: Chart Your Top Priorities

Once you know your future, ask:

• What are the top 3–5 things that, if we did them, reality would match our vision?

This neatly sidesteps a common pitfall of vision setting - trying to do everything at once - by keeping you what matters most and what has the most impact right now. Going back to the RealTalk example, we dug deeper and outlined our goals for how we’re going to chart the path toward that vision:

• Delivering high-impact, personalized leadership development

• Strengthening the capacity and sustainability of associations and local governments

• Operating a sustainable, scalable business that reflects my values

Those goals give us direction. From here, we can define what sustainability looks like and set steps to build toward it. We can design programs and services that deliver the kind of impact we want for leaders, associations and local governments. And as we build the business around those goals, we're ultimately moving toward our bigger vision of helping leaders lead loud and build better.

Why This Matters to You Too

Here’s the part we don’t want you to miss: moving toward your vision doesn’t have to mean launching big new programs or multiplying your budget. Sometimes, the most important work is making sure you can sustain what already works well.

It still takes intentionality to protect the status quo — and that’s every bit as valid as chasing the next big thing.

The Bottom Line

You don’t need a 30-page plan to get started. With just these two steps, you’ve already set the foundation: a clear vision and a handful of priorities to focus on. That’s enough to give you direction and momentum.

And, this isn’t just for organizations. It’s also a powerful process for you as a leader. Ask yourself:

• What’s your personal vision?

• Who do you aspire to be in the future?

• What does “success” look like for you — not just in titles or outcomes, but in the kind of leader you are?

• And what 3–5 goals will move you toward that vision?

Whether your vision is to grow, to stabilize or simply to stay true to your values — naming it gives you direction. It shows you what matters most, and helps you put your energy where it will count.