Minority Business Empowerment Zone

Is Your Team Mission Driven?

Written by Don Midgett

Mission statements and vision statements have been crafted for years—with good reason, since organizations that have mission and vision statements outperform those that do not. Here are a few snapshots to show the difference these statements can make: • A family-owned inn had operated for three generations without turning a profit. Within one year of creating a mission and vision statement, the inn reaped a profit of $500,000.
• A director for a non-profit organization reports: “To see within me the themes repeating themselves caused me to focus on what I am about.” As the organization aligned its mission and vision statements with strategic activities and actions, it increased in size by 50 percent and more satellite operations resulted, all sharing a common mission.
• The CEO of a financial services company recently went through the exercise of developing mission and vision statements, and he says, “Our company has benefited greatly. Every company, team, family, couple or individual should have one.” When expectations are not met, these statements are seen as being a waste of time and money, and an organization continues to function as it always has. So mission and vision statements are not solutions—they are tools that must be used by willing and capable managers and supervisors. Where mission and vision statements succeed, there is top-to-bottom support. How can your team be successful if you can’t answer the basic questions, “Why do we exist?” and “Where are we going?” Mission and vision statements answer these all-important questions.

Mission statements are declarations as to why an organization exists and define the business. Mission statements concentrate on the present and are a reflection of core competencies—the basic skills or products provided.

Vision statements focus on the future. They state what you want the organization to be. Vision statements come from the heart as well as the head. A vision statement represents a realistic dream and forces leaders to take a stand for a preferred future.

Mission and vision statements are critical to the success of strategic planning. A mission statement identifies a starting point or current state of business, but a vision statement is necessary to determine the direction that should be pursued. Without the clarity of vision, your strategic plan—your road-map to achieve your vision—may prove useless. A strategic plan that is not constructed using a mission statement and a vision statement as the way to set attainable goals for a foreseeable future usually sends an organization into planning limbo. Effective mission and vision statements also help with decision making, articulate a reason for being, create team unity, link diverse units, provide focus and direction, and motivate members toward a more desirable future

Once mission and vision statements have been developed, they must be continually communicated, tested, and lived. This ensures that the vision stays alive and works. By their nature, mission and vision statements will bring about change, and change is accompanied by costs and risks. However, rather than fear change, you must embrace it.

Ensure that your mission and vision are properly aligned so that their benefits can be realized. Be a vision-driven team rather than a problem-driven company.

Don Midgett is the managing partner for GenesisGroup Inc., helping organizations and leaders discover their full potential. Visit www.missionvisionstatement.com.