The benefits of a BHAG for your brand

*blush*

As your brand is the compass for your company (and therefore for your colleagues). With a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal, you gain momentum. In the space between dream and goal, a BHAG can give your organization a clear vision. That way, you know exactly what your next step needs to be to get closer to your goal.

Have you ever heard of a big, hairy, and audacious goal (a bee-hag, that is)? Of course, you already knew that I prefer to use a line on the horizon for defining a strategy, and the BHAG is a perfect add-on. Only now it can be just a bit wilder. This also goes just a bit further than the classic “where do you see yourself in five years?” question. We are talking about a great moment in the future. Something to work toward. Something that makes you think: this is what I want to be on the front page of the leading magazine of your industry in a few years. The idea is that opportunities and possibilities will prevail in the meantime. You're going to see the future unfold. And it's going to get you immediate results.

So a BHAG is a big, hairy, audacious goal. Audacious from bold ideas that make you blush a little. Hairy of risky and on the edge! After all, this is about daredevil among dreams. You may break yourself free from practical concerns for once. After all, a lot can happen in a few years. You may stretch the time as far as you like, but beware: you may go too far. If you dive too deeply into the future, your BHAG may become too big and elusive. In terms of timing, think about when the stretch is perfect. This is because in the space between dream and goal, the BHAG occupies an exciting position. Like a perfectly stretched rubber band, it gives your working days a sharper edge and some extra zzzing!

A finish line you can say hello to

Chances are, many of the successful companies you know also started with a big, hairy, audacious goal. A good BHAG turns people on. A good BHAG grabs you right away. Short, concise, and yet full of promise and energy. For example, Those Vegan Cowboys are currently working on the Stainless Steel Cow, just to start talking about an exquisite BHAG. From grass to milk, without the intervention of a cow of flesh and blood. No complicated mission statements, no cumbersome choice of words; unadulterated “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely” energy. Does that make your heart beat faster too? According to the creator of the BHAG concept, management guru Jim Collins, that's not strange. After all, a good BHAG may be based on a long-term plan, but at the same time, it exudes a relentless sense of urgency. An undeniable force that needs no further explanation. A finish line of “I told you so.” 🏁

Do you have a BHAG in mind? Can you see it before you? Taste the champagne already? Good! That's where you want to be. You'll find that it will energise you. And your colleagues are going to feel it, too. It's like a catalyst for team spirit. Everything is gaining momentum.