On A Clear Day: Creating Visions and Missions of Clarity

By Richard Russey

Volumes have been written about the importance of vision and mission statements, and related strategic plans with specific objectives outlining the way forward for any organization. So, what is there to add? Well, my personal perspective of course … having worked for and with a wide variety of public and private sector organizations over the course of thirty years. What I have to add is a listing of things that are wise to do, and things to avoid when it comes to developing vision and mission statements, as well as their corresponding objectives.

As many who follow my blog will expect, I will first and foremost urge a collaborative, inclusive approach to developing and/or reviewing and renewing an organization’s vision and mission statements. To use a rather well worn phrase, it indeed “takes a village” to accomplish the work you do, so it makes good sense to include that village in the development of the vision and mission … and critically important to the development of the objectives, tasks, or activities (different strokes for different types of organizations).

But, how is this accomplished without becoming unwieldy, hugely time consuming, and frustrating? There are some guidelines that I’ve learned as I’ve experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of processes around writing vision and mission statements, then developing a precise set of objectives to accomplish them.

I’ll present my thoughts in the positive “do this” type framework, but will include the hazards that accompany a particular suggestion if you decide to take another track. This will become clear as you read through the suggestions that follow.

Inclusivity Rules!
Everyone, and I mean everyone, employed or having a stake in an organization should be included, at some point, in the development and/or review of the drafting of vision and mission statements, as well as the important listing of objectives related to getting the work of the organization (as related to the vision and mission) accomplished.

There are some leaders who see the development of the vision and the mission as the responsibility of the leaders of the organization, the so-called “senior staff” and perhaps the board. My take on that approach is that one immediately sets up (intentionally or not) an “us” versus “them” mindset that will only serve to diminish the effectiveness of the organization over time. Is it more difficult to include everyone in the process? Absolutely, yes, the task becomes more difficult. But, it is worth the extra effort to be inclusive? Again, the answer is absolutely yes! One would hope that the very idea of an organization’s vision and mission is not only to communicate to the audience, constituency, or the public at large about the organization’s raison d’etre, but to involve and motivate the good people who are in your employ, or are volunteers, or even members of your constituency. To develop a vision and mission in a vacuum is a sure path to trouble ahead. Trust me on this one: I’ve seen too many organizations struggle to keep their staff (their teams) motivated and engaged, all the while keeping the sum and substance of the organization’s purpose for being held tightly to the chests of only the most senior of staff members, and perhaps a few members of the board. I’m certain there will be many CEO’s, executive directors, and other leaders who will scoff at this idea of broad inclusiveness. I know, because I’ve seen it first hand. But, be warned, holding the deck with exclusivity may not bring your organization to its knees, but it will certainly manifest in any number of problems down the road.

Vision with 20/20 Preciseness
One of the mistakes frequently made when an organization sets about to write a vision statement is that by using the very principle I advocate above, inclusiveness, the whole kitchen sink gets dumped into the vision without the necessary trimming and cutting and word smith work that creates an appropriate vision statement – born of inclusiveness, but articulating the collective with precision.

Some of the very best vision statements are no longer than a single sentence. It really is the short answer of, “What are we here to do, and what do what the future to look like?” All the details of who, what, how, and why will follow in the mission, and related objectives, tasks, and activities. But, the vision should remain crystal clear, precise, and memorable. It is the oft-used “elevator ride” articulation of a vision that works best. That is, can you describe your organization’s vision in about 10 seconds – about the amount of time it would take to ride an elevator from one floor of a building to the next?

So, you see, a vision statement is limited to the most precise articulation of what an organization seeks to be in the world – often including a sense of what the future looks like vis-à-vis the corporate (or nonprofit) impact on the world.

The Mission, Map or Trap? Keeping the Collective “Eye” on the Prize
There may be some occasions where one could argue for developing or utilizing a vision born of a few individuals or even a single person (usually referred to as a “founder”) of an organization. I concede that there are some instances around which a vision, inspired by an event or circumstance in one’s life is best articulated by a single person or small group of people. However, passing the resulting vision statement by a cracker-jack editor is definitely a good idea.

But, the development of a mission statement that is intended to fill out the details of just how the vision will be made manifest in the world does indeed beg for a wider circle of participation. How can this be accomplished without chaos ensuing? There are a number of ways and means and no one size fits all. A facilitated meeting of all staff members, board members, and representatives of various stake holder groups can work well. Or, a series of smaller focus groups that are charged with breathing life into the vision can be effective, particularly where very large numbers of staff are concerned. But what is clear is that those individuals who will be charged with delivering on the intent of the vision and those stakeholder groups are rich sources of adding flesh to the bones of the razor clear vision. This collective, by whatever means the input is gathered, can help enormously in “keeping the eye on the prize” of the original vision. It is all too easy for the mission statement to grow exponentially as input is gathered from a broad group of interested parties or individuals. So …

Brevity is Best
Keeping the mission statement, along with the accompanying written strategies, objectives, or activities concise is critical as well. We’ve probably all seen mission statements that go on for pages and pages of text. But, I contend that no matter how complex and multi-layered the vision and mission of an organization the description of that work should be able to be boiled down to perhaps several paragraphs of very concise and precise language. An old adage definitely applies here: less is more. Embrace that concept, however difficult it may be to switch one’s thinking from the “kitchen sink” approach to writing a mission statement to the difficult but ultimately rewarding work of paring down the explanation of the mission to its most salient and pertinent points.

Review, Renew, Reward
Once a draft of the vision, mission, and objectives or task activities is completed be brave enough to let it be reviewed. That means sending it back through all the individuals that were involved in its development. Gather feedback, utilize a good editor, and look for ways to add nuance and specificity by the intentional selection of particular words and phrases and discarding other less precise language. Approach this process with an ego-less mind and heart; the result will be better for your bravery, and will be absent the limiting sense of singular ownership.

Plan for a regular review (at least annually) of the vision and mission in order to make sure it remains relevant to the rapidly changing environment in which we all do our work. Certainly in a year’s time there will have been significant changes in an organization’s audience or beneficiaries, in technology, in the political landscape, in funding opportunities (or lack thereof), and in opportunities and threats to the organization and its vision. Remember the truth of the admonishment: change is the only constant.

Be open to renewing your organization’s vision and mission to align with current realities. IF the vision was conceived and written with great care … it may live on without need for significant change for many years. However, it is likely that the particulars of the mission and the objectives required to “get the work done” will require some re-tooling regularly over time.

Finally, reward everyone involved for their efforts and their contributions to the vision and mission of your organization. I refer here to ALL staff, board members, the constituency or audience served, vendors, allied organizations, and others. If they are acknowledged and rewarded in some way that is relevant to your organization they will be all the more motivated to jump in the trenches as each new day dawns and do their all to keep that vision alive. The reward need not be monetary, and probably shouldn’t be – as all available financial resources ought to be going to the delivery of your organization’s purpose. But, it is amazing how impactful effective leadership can be in this regard (please refer to previous posts on this blog related to leadership).

Let the Vision Live … Each Day in Every Way
Then, let the vision and mission live! See the result of your dedicated work as having life that applies each and every day and that guides the minute to minute activity of the organization. One very effective means of doing so is to make sure the vision and mission is in full view of every member of your team, posted above their desks, printed on small cards that can be carried in a wallet or purse, emblazoned on t-shirts or coffee mugs, or otherwise kept front and center. In this way, one can judge whether every action performed in the course of daily work for the organization serves the vision and mission, or is straying off base. This is a particularly meaningful way to keep the vision alive, and all energies focused on its manifestation. It is a particularly useful time management tool as well. It provides the foundation to be able to reply with a “yes” or “no” to the barrage of requests or demands on the time that will be directed to both leaders and the entire team involved in any organization. Walk the talk and each day will be a clear day.