Mission, Vision and Values
Before you can set a strategy, you must understand where you are going. Recall the basketball analogy- The goal is winning and the strategy is outlining how we get there. You also have to clearly understand why you are here, what success looks like in the future and what are the behaviors that will guide our behavior. Many of you may already know what I’m talking about. We’re talking about mission, vision and values.
Mission
The mission statement should detail why your organization exists. The mission statement is an action-based statement that declares the purpose of an organization and how they serve their customers. In short it answers the question of “Why we exist” “Why are we here”.
It should be a clear and concise statement that outlines your organization’s purpose. If you haven’t done so lately, I want you to take a moment and think about the mission statement of your organization. Does it clearly outline why it exists?
Let’s look at a few examples of mission statements:
Google mission statement: to organize global information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Tesla: “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.”
Nordstrom: “To give customers the most compelling shopping experience possible.”
Now let’s take a look at the vision statement
Your vision statement should describe the future of the company as a successful organization. You should be able to visualize a vision statement. If it describes the future, what would the company look like in ten to twenty years from now?
Let’s take a look at few examples of vision statements:
Google’s vision statement: to provide access to global information in just one click.
Costco: “a place where efficient buying and operating practices give members access to unmatched savings.”
The Scooter Store: “To provide freedom and independence to people with limited mobility.”
Last but not least, let’s take a look at values:
Values describe what is essential to an organization and often dictate employee behavior. They reflect the heart and culture of an organization. This is where we get to the heart of the organization.
(e.g., “We value a supportive, open work atmosphere that promotes teamwork and creativity.”)