For Joseph Smith, his statement of vision was literal, for most of us, however, our statement of vision is symbolic. The vision a leader shares with others, must identify a problem and offer insight into the reason for the problem. Joseph's vision is central to the belief of faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because it allows us to feel that Joseph's problem is also ours. He didn't know how to develop a good relationship with God (the problem) and how to overcome the specific things that enable the problem to continue (the additional information he previously didn't know--which also prevents us from solving our own challenges in developing a meaningful connection with our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ.)
Whether it is re-branding a product with slumping sales or helping a child with slumping grades, our job is the same. Ask the question, be willing to do some research into contributing issues, then present a positive means for changing those factors. Often, our understanding of a problem is good but we just need to find a more productive way of doing what we already know. There are times, however, when finding an answer to our question requires us to change everything! Are we willing to do that? Are we willing to admit to ourselves that the vision we support about our product or ourselves is flawed?
Maybe the answer to our challenges can be found in much the same way as those of Joseph Smith: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5).
If we exercise faith and admit that we "don't know, what we don't know," then we have His sure promise that he will provide us with a means to "know what we don't know." What we do with that knowledge is up to us!
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