Here's how you can balance visionary thinking with practical leadership in small businesses.

Instead of embracing duality, even in a small business, it might be valuable to have both a visionary leader and a director of operations. In my experience you need to have both the head in the clouds (to inspire growth) and the feet on the ground (to get things done), but it rare to find someone that can do both.

False dichotomies are dangerous tools, but effective. Painting the world in binary terms means forcing choices - making the pathway to the future fork into stark contrast rather than letting yourself and your team behold infinite possibility, which is a great way to induce analysis paralysis. Duality is actually non-existent. There’s only one truth, not your truth and my truth. But duality is a useful tool of thought, to be used sparingly, as a leader who must shrink infinity into immediacy. Practically speaking, whether you’re talking about vision and foundation, tactic and strategy, present and future, etc…duality is a falsehood but important to use as a tool of thinking.

The term "practical leadership skills" requires some definition or it can become a euphemism for management. Leadership is distinct in that it is focused on building a bridge from the present to some envisioned future. Management is almost entirely present focused. If we can define "practical leadership skills" as bridge-building to the future, then it involves activities that engage and enroll your team in a way that allows each one to "see" the future and their role in it. This entails a multitude of skills from coaching to strategic planning. The good news is that, as a leader, you do not need to be proficient in all of those skills, but you DO have to make them available to your team and organization.

Balancing visionary thinking with practical leadership in a small business requires embracing the duality of both dreaming big and staying grounded. I often remind myself that it’s not just about having a grand vision but also about making that vision a reality through careful, practical steps. This dual approach allows me to stay inspired while also ensuring that I’m moving forward in a tangible way. Can you find harmony between dreaming big and taking actionable steps daily? Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. That leaves you in the same place 1 year later! Reflect on one big idea you have and break it down into actionable steps you can start today. Take the leap, you know its time.

As a visionary leader, practical tasks may feel challenging. It’s crucial to allocate time for these essentials, especially if you’re solo or just starting. Your mind naturally handles the visionary work, but it tends to wander when not grounded in practical tasks. I recommend using the Pomodoro technique or time-blocking to focus on practical work. Also, plan and strategize the practical aspects until you can delegate operational duties. If you’re more practical than visionary, intentionally set time for strategic planning and imagining what your business could become you can use the same method Pomodoro method to envision. The important thing is to know who you are so you know what to focus on.

This is a surprising question, successful visionary thinkers must in part be practical leaders. In entrepreneurship it’s fundamental. Little will ever be achieved in life if the vision isn’t proactively put into action. That’s what companies are the product of….a vision with a practical application. Open to being wrong but I think the question should be; “Have you ever met a successful visionary who wasn’t in part a practical leader?”

Setting clear goals is how I turn visionary ideas into achievable outcomes. I make sure every goal is aligned with my bigger vision while also being realistic + attainable. These goals act as a bridge between where I am now & where I want to be. I keep them specific, measurable, and time-bound, giving myself and my team a clear path to follow. Are your goals clear enough to guide your daily actions? Take a moment to review your current goals. Are they specific and aligned with your vision? Start from inside out. Why do you want what you want ? How is it going to make you feel once you have it? Now reverse engineer! Don't be the one that has achieved all his goals on the outside, yet is empty unfulfilled inside. Start from your heart.

One thing I found helpful is he is the objectives and key results framework. When you think an OKRs and you can take your fluffy unmeasurable outcomes and have them become clear specific measurable goals. Take for example the objective of becoming the best whatever your company is in your region. How do you objectively measure that, or you don't. But you could say we will add 10 new accounts in the next 3 months as one of the key results. You could say we will work really hard to get three unsolicited testimonials, as a key result. You could go on and on thinking about what are the things that you can do to meet the objectives. The important thing is to be clear on what you want, then to find the actions that will get you there.

Building a team that shares your vision changes the game. When I started my venture, I was firmly focused on skills, not the cultural fit. This later many times led to misfit and friction, and I realized over time that key to the success is valuing people to bring in talent and offer a shared vision while being open to innovation. For instance, my diverse team helped me turn challenges into opportunities, such as the launching of a new product line with a shared commitment. That was our winning form of the geometric relationship between the big picture and execution.

I have found that the most practical way to do this is to spend as much time as is necessary to crystallize the values that exist inside of the organization. You have to be clear on what your core values are. And they can't be what Patrick Lencioni refers to as permission to play values. So no integrity, honesty, goodness. You really have to take the time to give words to how the people are inside of the organization, a great core value I heard from one of our clients was "No Eeyor's". When you define and hire for values these people will be aligned with the mission and a vision of the organization, it's built into their DNA it's who they are. The important thing is to set the time aside to do this work. It hurts when you don't do it

Building a strong team is crucial in balancing vision with practical leadership. I surround myself with people who not only share my vision but also bring diverse skills and perspectives to the table. It’s about creating a team that can execute the vision while challenging and inspiring one another. The right team makes the journey not just possible, but powerful. Do you have a team that complements your vision with practical skills? Great leaders build great teams. Consider the strengths and gaps in your current team. What can you do to strengthen your team’s ability to execute your vision?

It's really important to delegate not abdicate. Most young businesses tend to abdicate rather than delegate, there are four stages to delegation If you don't move through them as you're heading off the work you end up abdicating and spending most of the time correcting poor work. Stage 1: Assign a task and keep all the decision-making to yourself. Stage 2: Assign the tasks and the responsibilities for decisions. Stage 3: Allowing them to determine the results that they complete. Stage 4: Company cohesion. If you always make an effort to delegate this way, people will own the result at the end and you'll really have delegated rather than abdicate it or, worst case scenario having somebody who always depends on you to produce the result.

Delegating wisely is where I trust my team to handle the details, allowing me to focus on the bigger picture. I’ve learned that effective delegation isn’t just about offloading tasks—it’s about empowering others to take ownership and grow in their roles. This frees me to lead with vision while knowing the practical aspects are in capable hands. Are you trusting your team enough to delegate key responsibilities? Delegation isn’t about giving up control; it’s about multiplying your impact. Identify one area where you can delegate more effectively and empower your team to take the lead.

Next came measurement, which played a huge role in closing the gap between vision and delivery. Early on, I had big aspirations but couldn't quite tell whether we really were on track. I introduced simple means of tracking—like weekly sales reports and customer feedback surveys—against our performance. For example, after launching a new service, these metrics showed a dip in customer satisfaction. It helped us pivot and improve quickly enough so that retention could become higher. The measurement of progress kept our vision firmly based in reality and ensured movement in the right direction.

Adaptability has been key in sustaining growth in a shifting market. A few years ago, sales began to stagnate due to customer preference changes. Instead of sticking with the original plan, I listened to customers and my team regarding evolution of our offerings. Then we added a new product line that was more in demand by the market, which did work. It has, in that regard, given us not just the ability to stay relevant but also strengthened our market position. We have continued to balance our vision with the practical necessities of business through flexibility and adaptability to change.