Mission and Vision Statements... how important are they?

Col Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 26 May 2014 03:39:52 -0400

Most organizations have them, so the question is how effective are they, and is there a better way? The idea here is to discuss the good, the bad, and indifferent concerning both the mission and vision statements that we have come to know so well. Is this the tried and true method... or is there another (or better) way? If you support the idea, why and with what measurable results? If you believe there is a better way, what would you do different, and how would you implement the concept? This should be an entertaining and enlightening discussion, so strap on your seatbelts, and let's get this thing started; thank you for all that you do, and... see you all in the discussion threads!

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2014 3:53 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 26 May 2014 03:53:47 -0400

Maj Burns,

I believe Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Plan are critically important documents that should be reviewed annually and approved by board and executive leadership. In addition they need to be public and far more than a mere public relations tagline. They are essential vehicles for defining and focusing internal and external stakeholders on our goals.

Take RallyPoint for example. Wouldn't it help everyone better understand the nature of the website we are using if there were public Mission, Vision, Values, and Strategic Plans?

Warmest Regards, Sandy

Response by SSG William Sutter made May 26 at 2014 5:53 AM

SSG William Sutter — Mon, 26 May 2014 05:53:27 -0400

A mission statement in my eyes is what that organization does. A vision statement from what I understand is a statement showing where the organization is heading for the future. Yes I do believe in them. It keeps everyone in the organization focused one what they do and where they are headed.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made May 26 at 2014 8:19 AM

COL Vincent Stoneking — Mon, 26 May 2014 08:19:30 -0400

They are like the "commander's intent." Immensely valuable if done right, a waste of ink otherwise.

Your mission is the bottom-line thing your organization exists to do. It should be the driver behind your everyday operations. If it doesn't DO your mission, or directly support doing your mission, it is likely something that you should consider not doing.

Your vision is just that - where you see yourself going. It should drive ALL your strategic decisions, and inform your choices in executing your mission. For instance, if your vision is to "be the premier real-estate firm in the southwest for high net worth individuals" and you see a great opportunity to acquire a commercial real-estate company, you might want to pass - it isn't going to take you where you want to go. (Or maybe it will, because high net worth individuals also have commercial needs.... That's why execs get the big bucks....)

The trick is the "done right" part. It's really easy to slap together a mission & vision statement in 20 minutes. Sometimes that's good enough, but often you get the results you would expect from 20 minutes worth of effort. It is also easy to treat it as a PR exercise, totally unrelated to what your actual goals are. In other words, find something that sounds good, includes all the acceptable buzz words, and tells your internal and external audiences almost nothing about your organization.

"Done right" requires a lot of reflection, discussion, soul-searching, and debate among the organization's leadership and at least some discussion with staff (they have to buy in, or it doesn't work). The dirty little secret is that coming up with a vision & mission really do only take about 20 minutes, but only have the 2 months worth of continuous hard work has taken place to figure out who you are and who you want to be when you from up. People confuse the end product with the process. The product is nothing without the process.

Response by Sgt Randy Hill made May 26 at 2014 2:41 PM

Sgt Randy Hill — Mon, 26 May 2014 14:41:50 -0400

Sir if you don't have a goal their is nothing to shoot for.

Response by Sgt Randy Hill made Aug 5 at 2014 3:57 PM

Sgt Randy Hill — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 15:57:43 -0400

Its like playing hockey without a net.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2014 6:59 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:59:47 -0400

LT Col Burns--sir, in my experience, the actual statement usually is too complicated; what is more important is to find more than one ability to truly SHARE a vision. Not many leaders can do that well. Such statements are a good step in that direction, for it helps crystallize the idea of the leadership vision--the way we will accomplish the mission--the way we want to write our own headlines--in ways that can help everyone achieve unity of effort and synergy. I'm a fan of being able to explain, in a few simple words and short sentences, what I do, why I do it, and why it is important! It's not enough for a command to have one statement. Every person in the command should have their own statement about how they will do their part to support the mission and thereby make the vision a reality. Not vague, pie in the sky stuff. For example, I work at the USEPA. Our mission is to protect human health and the environment using sound science. Our vision is a sustainable planet, where everyone can eat, breathe, and live in a healthy world. My job is to help tell that story.
(when politics allows us to be heard).

Response by 1LT William Clardy made Oct 27 at 2014 9:07 PM

1LT William Clardy — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 21:07:42 -0400

Col Private RallyPoint Member, I'm a bit of a contrarian on this subject. I cannot recall a written vision statement or mission statement which I ever found either edifying or inspirational.

Almost without exception, the mission statements and vision statements I have seen read like committee-generated exercises in buzzwordology by an organization grasping for a raison d'être, most often because they lack a leader with a clear vision. I've seen mission statements which read like a high-school 5-paragraph report minus the introductory and concluding paragraphs. One of my current employers has a project-level mission statement which does not even form a complete sentence, much less a coherent one.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2014 12:14 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 00:14:03 -0400

Mission statements are definitely critical aspects of any organization and those goals should be the standard. As a weather observer and then forecaster and then Meteorologist we have many things to look after. One area that is extremely critical is Station Pressure, Sea Level Pressure, Altimeter Setting and Pressure Altitude with the crux of the matter falling to the Mercurial Barometer. If that standard is not kept, then all the other pressure readings are suspect and potentially lethal to aircrews.

Minimum expectations should be expected and exceeded to include parameters such as lightning conditions at various levels, Delta T readings, Wind Shear and Turbulence, Icing and cloud bases especially at low level. Severe Weather creates a lot of conundrums and even ORIs or whatever they are called these days can be hampered or have to be re-evaluated or rescheduled for safety reasons. Without standardized expectations and that mission statement we become lax and apathetic and lives are lost.

Response by SPC David S. made Oct 28 at 2014 12:21 AM

SPC David S. — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 00:21:04 -0400

Col Private RallyPoint Member i believe that the Mission and Vision Statements are more of a way finder for organizations in terms of their strategic planning and not much more than that. If the organization is not revisiting these documents at least once a year then they are worthless. The whole purpose of either of them is to profess the corporate goals so that the different segments within the business can to align their efforts in creating a differential advantage over the competition via a set of unique core competencies. They are nothing more than a clear and concise goal that say this is where we need to be as a business. The issue with them is in the application as most organization only look at these once a year. In a highly dynamic segment such as IT you can find yourself pointing in the wrong direction rather easily if you don't have your ear to the ground. Some organizations are now messing around with "futurist" units that more or less look at what is trending and how that will influence an organization's delivered goods or services. Apple and Google are two example organizations that practice this business philosophy.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2014 12:51 AM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 00:51:06 -0400

I suppose I am indifferent about them. In fact until this thread I had no idea what our current one was. I remember in ROTC it was something to the effect of "maintain air superiority anytime any place through air power and global reach for America!" I am sure I have butchered it since this was 14 years ago that I had memorize these things.

Now it is "Fly, Fight, Win in... Air, Space and cyberspace." I suppose that one is straight to the point on what the Air Forces intent with the future mission sets. IMO I always felt these catch phrases were really not meant for us, but more so as corporate advertisements for congress to succinctly get a point across to them on what is we do. We always think people who run for congree know about what we all do when in fact in some cases some of these people may have no idea that are four separate branches. I met a congressional candidate a while back that kept on referring to the Air Force personnel as meeting such group of soldiers. Umm yeah that guy knows what we do.

So I think it is for the politician who has never served IMO.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2014 7:15 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 07:15:05 -0400

Lt. Col Burns--I left out that the best sharing of a vision I've ever seen is when our Commanding General shared his Officer Support form for his Efficiency Report--his goals and what he'd be measured by. That sent a very clear message to every other officer and senior NCO to follow him. We knew very clearly what was being measured, etc. And we knew that everything was on the up and up with a leader who had real moral courage and led by example.

Response by SPC James Mcneil made Oct 28 at 2014 7:50 AM

SPC James Mcneil — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 07:50:01 -0400

A mission statement is absolutely vital to an organization's success, but only if that mission statement is effectively communicated on all levels of the organization. It needs to be understood by everyone.
In one of my speeches, entitled "the Four Functions of Success," I explain how important an organization's mission statement is as well as how important a personal mission statement is. I ask people, "What is your mission statement?" Here's mine. "Helping people break the chains that hold them back and achieve more than they believe they can achieve."