Which is more necessary?
I think some leaders make vision vs quick wins seem mutually exclusive. Both are important.
Because vision leaks, we must always be motivating our tribes with reminders of what it will look like when our mission is accomplished. On the other hand, we must make sure we are making progress and quick wins along the path to seeing our vision fulfilled.
If people don’t feel like they are winning, the vision doesn’t matter no matter how grand the vision is.
If people don’t have a vision worth aiming for, showing up isn’t fun either.
The challenge then is to build a team that will keep vision high, but also be in the trenches ensuring advance is happening.
Easy to say, hard to sustain.
doublederivativeca 
It would be interesting to figure out what behaviours or attitudes of the tribe indicate that leaders are casting too much long term vision without short term wins? Also what does the tribe look like when vision fades?
Some thoughts:
a. Too much vision, not many wins. – I would guess cynicism, skeptisism, and perhaps tendency to silo (protectionism) would become cultural norms. But I have no real emperical evidence…just guessing.
b. Lots of “work” but little vision. – Prov. 29:18 clearly states without vision people perish. I take that to mean lose heart and hope. It is likely not possible to define “wins” without at least a threshold amount of vision. It’s hard for me to even imagine this scenario, and I tend to think of the two this likely more dangerous. Reflecting on it, I also doubt I’ve ever really been apart of a tribe like this? You? What does it feel like?
In the end I think you are right on. I’m glad we’re on the same team!
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Good points Sean.
I think another side-effect of too much vision and not enough wins is that people stop listening to the vision. They simply just tune out and laugh it off. “Another sparkly vision from the Ivory Tower…” it simply goes in one ear and out the other.
I think when it’s all about work with little vision, the motivation leaders often try to employ are legalistic. “We ought to do this…” I saw this in my church recently when the leaders were trying to motivate people to do an activity but didn’t provide a compelling vision to motivate it.
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