You have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.

Hesburgh frames leadership as inseparable from clarity of purpose. A “vision” is not merely a private aspiration; it must be expressed in language strong enough to rally others and guide decisions. The “uncertain trumpet” alludes to the biblical image (1 Corinthians 14:8) in which an indistinct signal fails to prepare people for action—suggesting that vague, hedged, or inconsistent messaging undermines collective effort. The quote thus emphasizes that effective leaders commit to a coherent direction and communicate it plainly, so that followers know what is being asked of them and why. It also implies moral responsibility: if one claims to lead, one must not obscure the call to action.