I’ve heard from leaders who have crafted compelling visions for their organizations—statements that are bold, inspiring, and future-focused. And yet, in follow-up conversations just weeks later, the question I hear most often is:

“Why isn’t the vision showing up in how people work every day?”

It’s not because these leaders aren’t strategic. It’s because they don’t have a process for integrating vision into structure. And without structure, a vision stays stuck on the wall or in the slide deck.

One my favorite principles from systems thinking, popularized by Peter Senge and rooted in Jay Forrester’s system dynamics: “Structure drives behavior.” This means that the systems, processes, roles, and incentives in place shape how people act—regardless of individual intent. When aligned with the organization’s vision, structure enables consistent, strategic behavior; when misaligned, it unintentionally reinforces the very outcomes you’re trying to change.

Forrester’s work on systems thinking is especially relevant for leaders trying to bring vision to life: The System, Not the People, Creates the Results. We often default to thinking: “If only we had the right people…” But Forrester showed that even great people will struggle in a system that works against them. Structure—not individual willpower—creates consistent outcomes. If your culture rewards short-term wins over long-term vision, guess what behavior gets repeated?

 “Structure drives behavior.” If we want vision to shape behavior, it has to be wired into how decisions are made, how teams are organized, what performance is measured, and how we recognize success. In short, we need to design for the vision to live.

Some simple but powerful shifts include:

  • Embedding vision-aligned metrics into every role
  • Revising decision-making processes to ask, “Does this align with our vision?”
  • Rethinking incentives to reward not just results, but how those results were acheived
  • Using rituals, symbols, and stories to make the vision feel real – every week, not once a year

Vision without structure is inspiration without traction. Structure is what transforms a vision from a statement into a system. To do this, the conversations about strategic goals have to move vision from an interesting conversation to intentional conversations that embody action, accountability, and follow-through. The results? Greater clarity, improved morale, stronger execution, and a sense of shared ownership that drives performance forward.

If your team has a vision – but needs support bringing it to life – let’s connect. bluSPARC™ can help design the structure your strategy needs to thrive. Reach out here to start a conversation.