I recently read an article in an airline magazine about the resurgence of something called paint by numbers. The idea came about during the early 1950s, and it’s a mix between a coloring book and painting on a canvas. It allows anyone to create a detailed work of art, even if they’ve never taken an art class.

The idea is that by starting with a clear picture of the desired result, then using a step-by-step framework, anyone can create something beautiful.

Like painting by numbers, effective strategic management begins with a clear image of an organization’s future state—its vision—that frames the focus of its activities. Strategy creates a framework to make decisions and perform activities aimed at animating a specific future state. Perform activities that align with the future-state picture, and the vision comes to life. Simple, right?

One of the most common challenges to effective strategic management of an organization is vision drift—losing sight of the future state, and as a result, fragmenting attention and distracting resources.

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