Pesky Questions: Navigating Mission and Vision Statements

Today, in 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙊 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 newsletter, we took a deep dive look into the value of an organization's mission, vision, and values. Here are the questions I have asked, many times, and heard other communicators grappling with:

𝗣𝗲𝘀𝗸𝘆 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀

𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣?
Ideally, yes. Think of your mission as your organization’s current reason for being—the "what" and "who" you serve today. Your vision, on the other hand, is the aspirational destination—the "where" you're aiming to be in the future.

𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙧 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙙?
Yes, they can and sometimes should be. As your organization evolves, the landscape shifts, or new insights are gained, revisiting your mission and vision can ensure they remain relevant.

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙗𝙚?
Your mission should be specific enough to guide day-to-day decision-making and operations but not so narrow that it stifles growth or adaptation.

𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙖 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨?
While a vision should be aspirational, grounding it in some degree of realism is crucial. An overly ambitious vision might seem unattainable, potentially demotivating your team or it could become fatally vague.

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬𝙚𝙙?
A good rule of thumb is to review them at least every three to five years or whenever significant changes occur within the organization or the industry.

𝙎𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙚𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩?
I say, yes! Employees who understand and connect with the mission and vision are more engaged and aligned with the organization's goals. A deep understanding of these core brand elements is crucial for cohesive and motivated teams, and they should be a part of your day-to-day discussions and decision making. (What say you?)

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙤 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚?
They are the bedrock of your company culture. A clear, lived mission and vision shape organizational values, behaviors, norms, and measurement. They influence how employees interact, how decisions are made, and how success is defined and celebrated within the organization.

𝙄𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙠𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙧?
While they serve different purposes, it’s natural for them to be aligned and even overlap in themes. However, it’s important to differentiate the two: the mission addresses the present, and the vision focuses on the future. Clarity in each helps guide both current operations and long-term strategic planning.

Mission on!

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