Well-crafted, captivating vision and mission statements drive the impact your company will make.
Both play a role in setting the tone for the long-term, as well as how your company adds value in the present.
What are vision and mission statements, and how do you write them?
In this article, I’ll give you some ideas.
First off, do you have up-to-date mission and vision statements for your company?
If not, rest assured you’re not alone. Over the years, when I’ve asked executives this question, I’ve heard “no” more than I’ve heard “yes”.
Sometimes, they haven’t been written; other times, they’re antiquated and need a refresh.
Either way, NOW is a great time to revisit yours.
Let me clarify the difference between the two and give you some ideas to incorporate for each.
Vision Statement
A vision statement is a future-focused, abstract description of where the company aspires to go. Think “pie-in-the-sky,” lofty, perhaps even unattainable. That’s okay. Your vision statement is where you can and should get dreamy.
Here are a few examples:
- Make a greener, cleaner world
- Celebrate life’s special moments
- Inspire creativity
- Promote holistic health
Oh, and concise. Describe, in as few words as you can, your ideal aspiration.
Live Authentically’s Vision Statement:
- Create a world full of magnetic leaders
General, lofty, exhilarating. Just thinking about it gets me thinking expansively.
Now we have the mission statement, where we dial it back to the present day and show how we add value.
Client-Centric Mission Statement
Notice that I slipped in “client-centric” from the get-go.
Mission statements should cut to the chase and make it very clear to clients how you can help them.
That’s what people care most about.
Make it easy for your clients to see exactly where you can make their lives easier, better, and more productive.
Whatever you’re offering them should be served up in the mission statement.
Mission statements that are not client-centric make it harder for the client to understand exactly how you can add value, and the onus is on them to connect the dots.
Of course, they’ll want to know about your credibility, experience, and what differentiates you and your company, and there are plenty of opportunities to do that.
Client-centric mission statements focus on the present and describe who you help, how you help them, and the benefits they can expect to experience.
Incorporate your own unique signature style into the energy and language.
Trust that your ideal clients will be drawn to you, and the ones who aren’t an ideal fit will be repelled.
Live Authentically’s Mission Statement:
We empower global, open-minded C-suite executives who understand that spirituality is an essential part of business success, to create a corporate culture that embodies the energy of service, connection, and growth, personally and professionally, so that they enjoy the benefits of heightened employee morale, bolstered retention, enhanced productivity, and ultimately, a more profitable bottom line.
Your vision and mission statements don’t need to be set in stone. As your company evolves, you should revisit and refresh them often to reflect where you are and where you want to go.
Communicate your vision and mission statements with your team, and refer to them often. Help your team understand how their responsibilities fit into the broader picture.
When everyone in the company has clarity on both the long-term vision and the short-term mission, teams will feel a shared sense of purpose, they’ll operate more autonomously, decision-making will be solid, and you’ll be in a position to make the greatest impact.
I love helping my clients sharpen their vision and mission. If you’d like me to help you, please reach out.