"Groups and societies grow and develop in the direction of the dialogues they have and the questions they ask." David L. Cooperrider
At times we perceive that in the country we are incapable of setting a majority course that focuses on the future. "
I wonder, we live in the same country, are we compatriots or enemies? When are we going to attend to the big issues that matter to all of us?
On the other hand, we know that it is more fruitful to focus attention on the world we want than to eliminate what we don't want.
From this I bet on a Vision of living in democracy and freedom. Without entering into ethical and moral questions, and less in philosophical fundamentalisms, let us compare our country with a private company, and extract from these those that teach us to build a Vision, that is, to give a direction to the country that encourages hope.
A Vision is one that provides guidance on which is the central nucleus that must be preserved and which is the future that must stimulate progress.
In an article by C. Collins and J. Porras published in 1996 (*), these authors teach us to build the Vision of a company. Paraphrasing these authors, we are going to adapt their teachings to apply them to build a Vision for the country.
" A well-conceived Vision is made up of two main components: a central ideology and an imagined future."
The central ideology defines everything we defend and the reason for our existence. It is that which does not change, but complements the imagined future. This future represents everything we want to be, what we want to achieve and create, something for which significant change and progress are needed.
Central ideology
The core ideology defines the enduring nature of a country, a coherent identity that goes beyond political vicissitudes, technological advances, fashions, or individual leaders. In truth, it is the most lasting and significant contribution to setting a course.
Leaders die, politics change, technology advances and fashion comes and goes, but the central ideology endures as a source of guidance and inspiration. The central ideology is like the adhesive that holds a society together as it develops, retreats, lives, it is its enduring principles and ideals.
An effective Vision must embody the central ideology of a country, which in turn is made up of two distinctive components: the core values - that is, the system of guiding principles - and the central purpose - that is, the rationale that the country wants. for its people.
Core values are the essential and enduring principles of a country. As a small set of timeless guiding principles, core values need no external justification; they have an intrinsic value and importance for those who are part of that society.
The point is, a country decides for itself what its core values are, regardless of the current environment and trends. Therefore, there is no universally shared set of core values, because the key is not in which core values a country has, but rather that it possesses them. Very few values can be truly central - that is, so fundamental and deeply ingrained that they would very seldom be changed - if at all. Therefore, it is desirable to state a few core values, generally between three and five.
The central purpose, the second part of the central ideology, is the reason for being of a society with its members. An effective purpose reflects the idealistic motivations that lead people to fulfill the tasks that society has assigned them. It does not describe the production of a country, but what it does is capture its soul. This purpose is like a guiding star that dwells on the horizon, always sought, but never achieved. However, despite the fact that the purpose itself does not change, it does inspire change.. The very fact that the purpose cannot be fully achieved means that a country can never fail to stimulate change and progress. The fundamental role of a central purpose is to serve as a guide and inspiration, people need more than ever to understand clearly what their purpose is in the society they integrate, so that their work makes sense and is motivated.
The central ideology is neither created nor determined, it is discovered. It is impossible to deduce it by observing the outside world. It can only be understood by looking inward, at the heart of society. Ideology must be authentic, it is impossible to falsify it. Discovering the central ideology is not an intellectual job. Don't ask what core values we should uphold, but what core values we uphold with passion and authenticity.
Do not confuse the values that you should have - and do not have - with the authentic core values. This would do nothing but create cynicism and frustration (who are we trying to fool? We all know that there is no such core value here).
Aspirations are an appropriate component of the future, but they are not part of the core ideology. Instead, the authentic core values that have weakened over time can be seen as a legitimate component of the core ideology and therefore work to revive them. The authenticity, the discipline and the coherence with which the ideology is lived - and not the content of that ideology - explain the path of success.
Once the core ideology issue has been clarified, we can feel absolutely free to change anything that is not part of it. From now on, whenever someone says that something should not change because it is "part of our culture" or because "we always did it that way", or any similar excuse, remember this simple rule: if it does not belong to the central nucleus, it is open to change. The affirmative version of this rule is: if it doesn't belong to the core core, change it! However, articulating the central ideology is only the starting point. It remains to be decided what kind of progress to stimulate.
Glimpse the future
The second essential component of the Vision framework is the imagined future. It is made up of two parts: a bold 10-30 year goal, plus vivid descriptions of what it will be like to reach that goal. It is recognized that the expression imagined future is somewhat paradoxical. On the one hand, it conveys the sense of something concrete - something visible, vivid and real. On the other, it speaks of a time that has yet to materialize - with its dreams, hopes and aspirations.
Stimulating progress requires big and bold missions. In addition, they must be clear and demanding, to serve as a unifying focal point of effort and catalysts for team spirit. And above all, a clear finish line, so that you can know when you have reached the goal. A clear example of what is claimed is NASA's mission to the Moon during the 1960s. A committee of communicators was not needed to express what was desired. The goal itself was so easy to understand that it could have been expressed in multiple ways and still easy for everyone to understand.
But to enunciate a Vision, a special class of missions is required, which are applicable to a country and whose realization requires an effort of between 10 and 30 years. Also, in order to frame this mission at such a remote point in the future, it is necessary to think beyond the capabilities and current environment of the country. Inventing that goal forces the drivers of a country to be visionaries.
That mission should not be a safe bet - it will have a 50% to 70% chance of success - but the country must still believe that it can reach the goal. Furthermore, it will require extraordinary effort. They will be components of that mission, clear objectives, a common enemy, and necessary leadership and internal transformation models.
The imagined future also needs what is called a vivid description, that is, a vibrant and specific description of how to get to the mission. Think of it as that which translates vision from words to images, think of creating an image that people can bring to their minds. It is about painting a picture with your words. Painting this picture is essential for the mission planned for 10 to 30 years to take shape in people's minds.
Passion, emotion, and conviction are essential components of the vivid description. Winston Churchil understood this when he described Britain's mission in 1940, because he did not just say: "Defeat Hitler." He noted: “Hitler knows he will have to defeat us on this island or lose the war. If we can face it, all of Europe will be free and the life of the world will be able to move towards the sunlit highlands. But if we fail, the whole world, including the United States and everything we know and care for, will sink into the abyss of a new age of darkness, more sinister and longer, perhaps due to the contribution of evil science. Let us then be ready to do our duty and be responsible that if the British Empire and the Commonwealth last a thousand years more, men continue to say:This was his most glorious hour ”.
Some key points
The central ideology should not be confused with the imagined future, and especially not the central purpose should be confused with the mission to be achieved.
The central purpose is the reason that a society is given for which it exists. It is never achieved, while it is possible to achieve a mission in a period of 10 to 30 years.
Identifying a central ideology is a process of discovery, whereas determining the imagined future is a creative process. For this, let's imagine that 20 years have passed and: what would we like to see? How would the country feel? How would its people live? What should we have achieved? If someone were to talk about Uruguay in 20 years, what would they say?
It makes no sense to analyze whether the imagined future is correct. With creation - and it is about creating a future, not predicting it - there is no right answer. Did Beethoven create the correct Ninth Symphony? Did Shakespeare create the correct Hamlet? We cannot answer those questions, because it would not make sense. The imagined future includes questions such as: Do we feel it stirring within us? Is it a stimulus for us? Does it encourage greater momentum? Does it get people moving?
The envisioned future may be so exhilarating in its own right that it would continue to motivate the country even after the leaders who set that goal are gone. The imagined future should produce an effect similar to the one we have when we lose our breath to something that amazes us by its magnitude. Creating an effective imagined future takes a certain level of irrational trust and commitment.
But what happens when we fail to materialize the imagined future? Proposing simpler goals is not the solution. Organic processes must be implemented, in which many things are tested and those that work are preserved, because in reality the reason for the successes is given by the strength of building a country that is prepared to create the future.
Finally, when imagining the future, we must be careful with the “we have arrived syndrome” - complacent lethargy that arises when a mission has been achieved and cannot be replaced by another - “The Switzerland of America” ?; "Maracana" ?.
An imagined future helps a country only as long as it has not been achieved. To maintain enthusiasm and motivation, before reaching the top of the mountain, choose another mountain to climb afterwards.
To create a Visionary Country, it takes 1% vision and 99% alignment. The Vision only provides the context that allows the dynamics to come to life. When a magnificent alignment is achieved, a visitor from abroad will be able to fall, and infer the Vision of the country from the behaviors and activities of the people, without having to read it on paper or meet with a single politician.
Creating that alignment will be the most important task, but the first step will always be to fuse that Vision in a context that is effective for the construction of a “Visionary Country”, which if done well, should not have to be done again. less for a decade.
Next, with the purpose of applying the preceding theoretical framework, but above all to invite others to do so, especially those who democracy gave them the opportunity to lead the country, I would like to propose the contents that a Vision should have for Uruguay.
Central ideology
Core values: only four, freedom, democracy, solidarity, tolerance and equity. Although none of the five requires explanation, I wish to emphasize the value of fairness in its purpose of justice. To each, according to their efforts and abilities. End the lifetime jobs, the "daddy's children" and all the corporatism of whatever organization.
Central Purpose: "to ensure equal opportunities for all members of our society."
The imagined future
A bold 10-30 year goal: "be like New Zealand." Agroindustrially integrated country and services. Among other things, it is required that this high percentage of rural entrepreneurs who today have only primary education, be trained much more; and that the agroindustrial chains work in an oily way so that the quality and the differentiation is their purpose. Regarding services, quality and innovation must be pursued, mainly in tourism, which we offer a stratified package linked to the climate.
The software industry is one of the paradigms to follow, because it highlights our most valuable capital, the capacity of Uruguayans.
All this scenario, linked to form an environment, as is possible with the existing communication tools, which allow entry to what is known as the “Information Society”.
Vivid description:
• “We persist in education as the only way to develop ourselves, live in peace and freedom. The direction of education is decentralized so that it is contingent on local needs, its programs and methodologies are adapted so that they are in accordance with the times that are lived. Knowledge will be spread to the entire population, mainly to improve the performance of employers and dependent workers ”.
• “We ensure the physical and moral safety of the entire population, as well as all its material and immaterial assets.
• "A corrective community is created for minor offenders in which these adolescents live in homes integrating real families that lead to their reintegration into citizenship."
• “Creativity and innovation are encouraged as sources of value creation, especially in a country with small physical dimensions, since the scale of production will never be favorable to us.
• “An entrepreneurial attitude will be fostered, basically in young people, as the only engine of growth of a society and therefore of a country.
• …………………………..
The vivid description, that is to say, the vibrant description that captures and indicates how to get to the mission, is a picture that we should paint completely together. In a representative democracy, it is an invitation to the Political Parties to join in this task.
• Collins, James C. and Porras, Jerry I. 1996. “Building your company ´s vision”. Harvard Business Review.
