South Africa isn’t short of skills, people, resources or
imagination. What it is short of is a common vision. Common implies most of us
buy into it and will take whatever steps it takes to achieve it. Sometimes we
will need to make sacrifices in the short term for the long.

The world has known a few common visions that have worked. Mahatma Ghandi
brought the British Empire to its knees with his (it took 30 odd years). JFK
put a man on the moon with his (7 years - watch and
listen to his inspiring words).

“We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and
do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard,
because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our
energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to
accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win,
and the others, too.” (Read the full speech from Rice University on 12th
September 1962)

Nelson Mandela galvanized a generation around his vision which took 27 years
to emerge:

“During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African
people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against
black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free
society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal
opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But
if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” (Read his full
speech from the dock of
the Rivonia Trial on 20th April 1964)

More recently Barack Obama got elected on the simple promise of “We can”.

Companies have been built on great visions too. Henry Ford dedicated his whole
life to “consumerism as the key to peace” and his legacy stands for itself
(despite most recent woes).

Bill Gates pictured a PC on every desk and got some people to follow him and
look what happened. Larry Page and Sergey Brin saw an opportunity to organize
the worlds information and Google continues to live this vision.

The word ‘Vision’ has unfortunately in recent years been killed by overuse.
Consultants and others have reduced it to a ‘Vision Statement’, lost amongst
piles of strategy papers, mission statements, values and principals.

Imagine Nelson Mandela with a ‘Vision Statement’ on the wall of his cell,
neatly framed and repeated everyday like an affirmation. It loses some of its
effect doesn’t it?

True vision is much more powerful than a plaque on the wall. It describes
something which gets our hearts beating faster. It creates a desire to do
more. It is compelling. When clear, the last thing I want is to be left behind
or left out from that vision.

A compelling vision is also simple. It is not a shopping list or an agenda. It
is bold, uncomplicated, accessible and embraced.

Unfortunately over the past years our country has become visionless. We are
falling well short of our potential. Mbeki lost the plot once he got into the
presidents chair. He became defensive and a petty squabbler. Arguing about the
issues rather than raising above them. He fell short of the political leader
that he could have been.

South Africa needs a leader who can inspire and unite. There is no place for
division amongst true leaders. The leaders above are remembered for their bold
view of the future which united people to join and follow them. Paradoxically
it is simple and it is hard.

On Wednesday, Zuma will give his state of the nation address. His task is not
easy, what is the single vision that could unite South Africa in 2009?

Vision takes time to emerge. Wednesday may however just be the start that we
need. I believe that we are hungrier than ever for a compelling vision. Like a
CEO taking over a troubled company, the bad times are sometimes easier to make
bold moves and to change course decisively.

Dare we dream that it is possible.