Missions/Visions and the Small Business
Eight out of ten times the small
business does not have a mission statement.
Nine out of ten times if there
is one, only the consultant or the owner know about it. It is most
often something someone's nephew drafted, after hearing the sales pitch
from the consultant who wanted $7,500 to write it for you. Or the web site
architect asked you a question: "what is your mission?" You gave
a cute reply and went on about your business. Perhaps it just sits
on a shelve, a page in that old business plan, the one you had to have
to get last year's bank loan.
There three levels is this tutorial: beginners
who want to just do it, intermediates who want
a more sophisticated analysis, and advanced for
the intellectuals in the crowd. There are many good examples of the
beginners and intermediate analyses on the web (see links).
BEGINNER LEVEL
What is the difference between mission
and vision statement?
A mission statement answers two questions:How do these relate to strategy?A vision statement answers one question:
- 1. "who are our customers?"
- 2. "why do we exist?"
Vision creates a concept of the future you intend to inhabit. It sets your compass for your journey into tomorrow. The gurus tell us the vision and mission are written to be so noble and admirable that minimum wage slaves will forget their pay and work for the glory of the mission.
- "where are we going?"
A strategy answers the question: "how will we get there?Why?
Banks require them.
Everyone else has one.
Dilbert Mission Generator Machine - examples (see links)We proactively create effective catalysts for change and seamlessly disseminate inexpensive resources to meet our customer's needsWe envision to completely maintain professional deliverables for 100% customer satisfaction
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL (MBAs)
So you wrote a mission, vision, and values statement. Now what? Does anyone know about it? How will you integrate these fine statements into your firm's behavior, image, and strategy?
Strategic visioning. In strategic visioning, your mission, vision,
and values are integrated with your strategic plan to take you from today
to tomorrow. After the SWOT analysis and the statement writing, its
time to translate these ideas into measurable objectives, action plans,
resource charts, and task assignments.
ADVANCED LEVEL (PhD's)
there are good reasons for not paying some expert to write your vision, mission, value statements. First, they don't know your business. Second, if an expert creates it, then no one that works with you or does business with you has been involved. Third, there is a mega gap between espousing statements and enactment.
So how about a little participation:
Bring together a diverse group of employees, customers, vendors, and family. Sit down and figure out who are your customers, where you are going, and what you value.Discuss how you will involve all the stakeholders in setting up a mission, embarking on a vision, and measuring your results.
to other Mission/Vision sites and resources
Beginners
Intermediates
- ** Beginners guide to creating your missions statement. Good site with excellent guidelines for mission statements
- Guide to mission statement for web sites. by CNET Builder.com
- Check out - Dilbert Mission Generator Machine (press here).
- Example of Mission, Vision, and Values Statement.
- One Page Business Plan Consultants - Sample Mission, Vision Statements
- World's Expert on Mission Statement Writing.
- Pay someone to write your mission statement.
- Bricker's essential components for a worthwhile productivity mission statement. -- one that delivers the revenue enhancement and cost cutting that lead to dramatic profit improvement.
- Generating and Distributing your VIP mission/vision plan with cooperation. Examle from California Park & Recreation Society.
- What is Strategic Visioning? by Chellam Embar, Software Engineering Institute
Advanced
Examples of Mission Statements