Mission and vision statements

A mission statement is a sentence or paragraph that declares the purpose of a business or an organization. It usually does not change significantly over time because it is designed to guide administrators and inform the public of the organization's philosophy and reason for existing. A vision statement addresses where a business or an organization hopes to be in the future. It is less specific than a mission statement, and in some cases, it may not be attainable. Both statements should clearly express the individuality of the organization in straightforward language.

Overview

A mission statement expresses the reason for an organization's existence, addressing both internal and external populations. It provides a foundation for the organization's identity and purpose and helps focus the efforts of everyone involved to work toward the same goal while informing the public of its reason for existence. It is generally brief—from a sentence or two to a paragraph—and summarizes the organization's philosophy. Mission statements are used by for-profit businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools, churches, and even individuals. Mission statements generally do not change over time unless the organization undergoes major changes that affect its core mission.

A vision statement looks to the future and outlines the accomplishments an organization hopes to achieve. It focuses less on anticipated profits or growth and more on an expression of the organization's values and its definition of success. The vision statement's purpose is to motivate both the administration and employees to imagine where the organization could be in five or ten years. A clear vision statement provides a strong and exciting view of the organization's future. Unlike the mission statement, a vision statement is likely to change as the organization meets the goals it sets forth.

Mission Statements

Developing a mission statement for an organization has many advantages. A well-written statement helps define the organization and its philosophy and can guide and motivate employees to ensure that business decisions reflect the overall purpose and strategy of the organization. Whether the organization's goal is to be customers' favorite place to eat or to eliminate childhood cancer, a strong mission statement reflects a philosophy and a standard to which the enterprise can be held.

The ideal mission statement is brief, succinct, and unique to each organization. It is most effective when it inspires employees and customers alike. Some companies use statements that are easy to remember and short enough to serve as a slogan. For example, the mission of the nonprofit organization Heifer International was "to work with communities to end world hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth." Harley Davidson's mission statement was "We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling, by providing to motorcyclists and to the general public an expanding line of motorcycles and branded products and services in selected market segments." A successful mission statement describes not only what the organization does but also how it achieves its mission and what makes its products or services special.

A mission statement that uses exceptionally vague or pompous language, ideas so general that they are meaningless, or statements that are simply not true will not resonate with organization personnel, customers, or the public. For instance, catchphrases such as "pursuing excellence in all things" or "a leader in our industry" do nothing to define or differentiate the organization or its mission. A mission statement should focus and communicate the mission of an organization to both internal and external constituents, so a poorly executed statement is worse than none at all.

Vision Statements

Like mission statements, vision statements should focus on the specific strengths and individuality of the organization. Rather than defining the organization as it is, however, the vision statement should describe what the organization could be or do in the future. Such statements aim rather than plan. They set goals to meet three to five years in the future.

Employees should be included in plans for implementation of management's goals so they can understand and assist in moving the organization in the right direction. A study published in Harvard Business Review revealed that most employees—as many as 70 percent—could not explain the strategy of the business for which they worked.

Vision statements originate with organization leadership but must include others involved in implementation if they are to be realistic and obtainable. Vision statements are not a list of goals; some of the ideas may not be accomplished. Rather, they are meant to guide the organization toward realizing its vision of itself in the future. Some are not likely to be attainable within a few years but nevertheless reveal the organization's vision of what it hopes to accomplish. For example, Save the Children's statement said, "Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation." The word every places the vision in the realm of the unattainable, yet the organization's aspiration is to save every child.

Vision statements can be more than a practical plan for future development. They can and should reflect the organization's dream—what led owners or leaders to make the enormous investment of time and money to make the organization a reality. Owners, CEOs, or other leaders can brainstorm alone or with a team of valued employees to reach a clear idea of where the organization should be in the future.

Like the mission statement, the vision statement should be expressed in a straightforward way that is understandable to constituents within and outside the organization. Poor wording comprising buzzwords—such as "improve strategic agility to optimize organizational outcomes"—does nothing to identify the values that inspire or guide an organization's growth or direction. Instead, the vision statement starts with a heartfelt dream and concludes with a credible picture of what the future may hold.

Bibliography

Arline, Katherine. "What Is a Vision Statement?" Business News Daily. Purch, 11 Dec. 2014. Web. 5 Feb. 2015. http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/3882-vision-statement.html

Berry, Tim. "How to Write a Mission Statement in 5 Easy Steps." Bplans. Palo Alto Software, 2015. Web. 5 Feb. 2015. http://articles.bplans.com/writing-a-mission-statement/

Fairbank, James F. "Mission Statements." Business.Ed. Michael Walden and Peg Thoms. Vol. 1. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2007, 346–354. Print.

Hennigan, Laura, and Kiran Aditham. "15 Mission Statement Examples for Your Business." Forbes, 31 May 2024, www.forbes.com/advisor/business/mission-statement-examples/. Accessed 9 Aug. 2024.

Hiebert, Murray, and Bruce Klatt, eds. "Visioning and Vision Statements." The Encyclopedia of Leadership: A Practical Guide to Popular Leadership Theories and Techniques. New York: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2001, 51–54. Print.

"Mission Statement." Business Dictionary. WebFinance, Inc. 2015. Web. 5 Feb. 2015. http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/mission-statement.html

Smith, Dave. "5 Tips for a Useful Mission Statement." Inc. Mansueto Ventures. 2015. Web. 5 Feb. 2015.