Building a Vision That Lasts: Lessons from Collins & Porras

In 1996, Jim Collins and Jerry Porras published one of Harvard Business Review’s most enduring articles, “Building Your Company’s Vision.” Nearly three decades later, its central insight still resonates: enduring companies preserve their core while continually stimulating progress.

Their research, later expanded in Built to Last, examined iconic organizations like Hewlett-Packard, 3M, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Sony, and Procter & Gamble. These companies didn’t just adapt to market changes; they anchored themselves in an unshakable identity while boldly pursuing ambitious futures. So, they built a clear, lasting vision made of two parts.

A well-crafted vision blends stability and ambition. Core ideology captures the timeless identity of the organization and consists of two elements: core values, guiding principles that have intrinsic meaning for insiders, and core purpose, the fundamental reason for the organization’s existence, intended to inspire for a century or more. This core remains constant, regardless of shifting markets or technologies.

The envisioned future is where ambition takes over. It includes a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (BHAG);  a bold, 10-30 year challenge that excites and unifies,and a vivid description, an emotionally rich picture of what success will look and feel like once that goal is achieved.

Too many organizations mistake a catchy slogan for a vision. Collins and Porras emphasize that true vision is not about clever wording but deep alignment, so embedded in daily operations that it can be recognized without a single written statement. This clarity is critical in today’s world, where top talent seeks meaning, markets shift at unprecedented speed, and companies risk complacency after achieving major milestones.

The takeaway is straightforward yet profound: discover, don’t invent, your core values and purpose. Separate what is sacred from what can, and should, change. Paint a vivid picture of the future that inspires action today. Then align everything; people, systems, decisions, with both your core and your aspirations.

Published nearly 30 years ago, these principles remain a compass for leaders seeking to build organizations that not only endure but continually reinvent themselves.

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