Vision Statement – Dutch Uncles

How to Craft the Perfect Vision Statement

Kiran Kennedy — Sat, 16 Jan 2021 10:06:05 +0000

You’re sitting across from the interviewer and out of nowhere they ask you that make-or-break question: “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”. The pressure is on and everything is riding on this one answer that you give. This is basically what a ‘Vision Statement’ is, but for your business. Let’s break it down:

What Is A ‘Vision Statement’?

When we think of the word ‘Vision’ it isn’t some random, forgotten inspirational poster hanging on the office wall. The vision is essentially a line of thought or embodiment of everything you want your company to be.

What the business represents and where you as a business owner envision it being down-the-line in say the next 10 years or so. Hence, the term vision statement.

Think of it as a sort of a roadmap for keeping your head on straight as you navigate the business through today’s economy. It always helps to have a specific aim or goal in mind, something to work towards. This is the purpose of the vision statement.

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A business needs goals to grow and in order to set those goals, one needs to have a foresight or a vision for the organisation.

Don’t Get It Confused With The ‘Mission Statement’

Yes, the two are similar, but the distinction and purpose of both must be clearly understood and put to use accordingly. In terms of similarities, the mission and vision are both objects of business aspirations that embolden the confidence of investors and employees in your business and the potential that it has.

When we look at the differences, however, the ‘Mission Statement’ is one that is rooted in the present and is based around what the brand represents at the moment. It lays out the purpose and focus of the brand. At the other end, we have the ‘Vision Statement’, the purpose of which is to fulfil that mission somewhere in the future. Though both are equally important to have as an outline of the company’s core values, the vision takes precedent in terms of a predetermined path of sorts.

The Benefits Of Having A Well-Crafted Vision Statement

There are many advantages to having a vision for your organization, for one it helps align everyone’s views and efforts. When everyone is on-board with a purpose that has been unanimously agreed upon it helps redirect efforts towards pushing the brand in the direction of that goal in all the different areas of work.

It also gives you a set of standards to measure the performance of the business against. Ensuring that everything is still on track to meet said goal. A high-performance rate will, in-turn, attract a larger amount of people who will want to be a part of that goal and so you will have more talent to choose from in terms of workforce skill sets.

Most importantly, however, it provides a stable framework for the organisations in times of friction and restructuring especially when it is a major change in how the business is to operate in the future. It’s bound to be stressful. The vision is what will keep everything on track and running as smooth as possible in the face of such change.

The Downfalls And Challenges Of A Poor ‘Vision Statement’

A poorly thought-out vision has several drawbacks and can wind up causing more damage than good. It should be balanced when moving forward. It should be describing ideally where the business is expected to be down-the-line, without becoming too idealistic.

I shouldn’t be so grand that it becomes unattainable. If people in the company see that you as a business owner have set an unrealistic goal without the resources to back it up, it throws doubt into the mix and productivity takes a hit. You should also avoid using too much business jargon in the statement itself. Keep this as a rule of thumb. If you can’t recite it to someone off the top of your head or you have to explain it to them, it’s no good. Do yourself and your business a favour and start over.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that this is no time to get flowery with the language and go into detail about the company and how great it all is. This is simply an opportunity to tell the audience what they can expect, should they take this journey with you.

Last but not least – did you give it enough thought? Take all the time you need because what they say is true, the first impression is the best impression. So, make it count.

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It is always good to aim high and aspire for greater things when it comes to a vision, but it also equally important that the vision is something realistic and attainable.

How To Craft The Perfect ‘Vision Statement’

Coming up with the perfect statement for your vision may seem like a monumental task but it doesn’t have to be. The main thing you need to keep in mind is to make things as simple as possible. Having said that, there are a few pointers that one should have in mind when attempting a vision statement. First off, think of a vision statement that will help project a goal for the organisation and where it should be 10 years down the line. Something with a long-term goal is much more workable when you have a fixed timeframe in mind.

Next thing you will need to do – use clear, simple and jargon-free language. There is nothing more distracting and confusing than complicated business terms thrown in. Write it in the present tense. Keep it current to keep it relevant, even though it is predicting the future. While we’re on the subject of writing – keep in short. No one wants to read a paragraph.

Think of it in terms of a slogan, a quick catchy phrase that people can just say without thinking. One or two lines should do the trick.

Make sure that whatever is written, ultimately highlights and aligns with the brand’s values and helps communicate that to any random person who might happen to read it. Clarity is important for this.

Whatever you do, don’t make it plain and formal, add some spice to it, make it lively and showcase the passion for the business in such a way that others who read it also feel inspired by it.

Lastly, prepare yourself and the funds needed to back it up. There is nothing more depressing or blatantly lacking ambition, than a great vision statement without the finances or commitment to back it up. Have a plan in place to help communicate these ideas to the employees and customers. Show them that you have what it takes to achieve this and the resources to help make that dream a reality.

Some Resources And Templates To Help You Out

If your business is a start-up and can’t afford to hire a professional content writer to help craft the vision statement, don’t worry. There are a vast number of different online resources that can help you easily whip-up a neat statement. With the age of the internet, comes workshops, worksheets and templates all readily available. Some great examples include: Smartsheet – Vision Template Worksheet or even Template.net, which provide a variety of free, downloadable templates. So, really there is no shortage of resources to learn and write a vision statement for yourself. It just takes a little time to grasp the ideas.

To get a better idea of it, let’s take a look at some of the top-tier businesses that have come up with some truly innovative vision statements.

Google

“To provide access to the world’s information in one click.”

IKEA

“To create a better everyday life for the many people.”

“Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.”

Oxfam

“To create a world without poverty.”

Samsung

“Inspire the world, create the future.”

Remember It Doesn’t Predict The Future, Nor Is It Set In Stone

Having learnt all the benefits that a good vision statement can bring to the table, there’s one final lesson – Don’t cling to it with everything you have. It’s not a rule you have to always follow. Just a rough guideline of sorts. Nothing is set in stone. Yes, some companies do benefit from rigidly sticking to it but the same may not necessarily be true for your brand. Feel free to break away from it at any point you see fit. Think of the business as a child, you need to give it room to grow and evolve with time, if you get tied down to one statement and only use that to guide the growth of the organisation then it prevents the business from growing and you from seeing the need for a potential change.

The market is a dynamic place and is constantly changing and morphing into something bigger and the brand’s values have to grow with it. Expert economists suggest that the vision statement be re-invented every other financial quarter, see how the business has come and make adjustments accordingly. Don’t be afraid to change things up and keep the brand on the same track. It’s important that the statement aligns with the organisation culture and the brand value.

To learn more on ‘Organisation Culture’, check out our article on it – get the full picture.

The post How to Craft the Perfect Vision Statement appeared first on Dutch Uncles.

Mission Statement: Everything You Need to Know

Kiran Kennedy — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 02:16:30 +0000

Say there’s a job that you want to apply to, you will need a CV, something to tell them what you’re all about. Some background on the skills, values and purpose behind the reason you are applying to that specific job will also be needed. A company’s ‘Mission Statement’ performs a similar function by telling people what the purpose of your company is, the core values you possess and the skills that will benefit them – should they choose to invest in your brand.

What Is A ‘Mission Statement’?

A mission statement is a short, all-encompassing statement, that defines the purpose and core values of a company or organisation. It is a summary of what your company does and how it does it. The benefit of having a good mission statement is that it helps communicate this summary of your values to clients, investors and employees.

It is generally a very short statement, usually around one or two lines. In some cases, it can be a paragraph. The mission statement may even go beyond explaining what the business does as an entity. Elaborate on how it helps the community grow or how it is useful to the customer. Give people a reason to invest in your brand and the values you propose.

The ‘Mission’ Is Not The ‘Vision’

The key difference to note between the mission statement and the vision statement is the fact that the mission remains the same for the most part. Throughout the company’s lifecycle, the core values and what it strives to be every day stays the same, more or less. The vision statement, on the other hand is more encompassing of the future to come, the goals the business is aiming to achieve, and it can change several times.

While the two look the same and sound similar on the surface, they are very unique when it comes to their individual purposes. Think of a mission as the manifestation of the company’s values. An identity of sorts.

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The mission is a constant in the life-cycle of a company. So, make every single word count for something.

Things To Know Before Jumping The Gun

A mission statement helps the company achieve a certain level of transparency with customers, stakeholders and investors, all the while making it very clear what the goals are. It helps keep things on track and keeps them going by providing a sense of direction. The vision statement is something that a company can work towards – the end goal for a fixed timeframe if you will.

A mission will help the brand stick to the core values as the company works towards those goals. It is a guideline of sorts. Another advantage is the reliability it brings to the table. If a company is facing a large-scale restructuring and is looking down the barrel of a significant change, the mission will help keep things smooth, as it reminds everyone of what they are working for.

Though they are short, crisp statements, they pack a punch and serve a crucial role in building the foundation of the business. The time and money you spend developing your mission statement could be significant if you want it to stand apart from the crowd.

How To Write The Perfect Mission Statement

The length and size of a mission statement can vary vastly from company to company. It just depends on the message you want to communicate with the audience, to get them to invest in the brand. Some of the biggest companies often have the simplest of statements.

With all those websites and articles out in the digital world, there are a million different ways and tips on how to write your mission statement. For example, PayPal has a crisp and to-the-point mission statement that reads: “To build the web’s most convenient, secure, cost-effective payment solution.” This is a perfectly acceptable approach should you prefer the short and sweet message, but regardless of the different styles, the fundamentals will stay the same across the board. These are the things you need to grasp to get started, so here they are:

First of all, ask yourself: What does my company offer? It could be goods or services, whatever the case, start there. Next step is to outline how you offer it to the customer, highlighting the convenience that your brand offers the customer that is superior to the competition. Be careful, you need to say it in a way that doesn’t come off as boastful. Just state the facts of why they should go for your brand.

The technical aspects aside, the audience wants to see the core of the brand. It could be top-of-the-line customer service or satisfaction, giving them the most value for money or how green your business is. Make it something that gives everyone a reason to pause and invest in your story, rather than just scroll over it like another sales advertisement. Give the audience a human moment.

At this point you are probably thinking: That is a lot to fit into a few lines! Do not worry, these are just some of the main points to include in the outline of your statement. Subtlety is key here.

Finally, consider hiring a professional writer to help narrow the focus of the mission statement. It will cost you a bit, but it is worth the extra effort. A polished and perfected mission statement can work wonders for the brand. Having said that, it is important to note, that you don’t have to stuff everything you think of or every point mentioned above, into your statement. Use what works best for the brand and the goal you have in mind. The simpler, the better.

Examples of Great Mission Statements:

LinkedIn – “To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.”

Amazon – “To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavours to offer its customers the lowest possible prices.”

Alibaba Group – “To make it easy to do business anywhere.”

Twitter – “To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly, without barriers.”

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Do not underestimate the importance of these few lines of text. They represent all that you stand for and want to achieve as a business.

It Is Not Permanent!

Mission statements are not set-in stone. Yes, they remain the core of the company’s values for years to come and serve as a guide to achieving the vision statement’s purpose, but even core values have a limited shelf-life in today’s economy. A business needs to grow and evolve with the times. This is especially true of the mission statement as it forms the core values of a company.

As society, politics and belief systems change and morph, the mission statement will also have to change with that to stay relevant and relatable to the audience. A mission statement from the 1950s, will not be applicable, or in any way relatable to today’s customers because their personal values have changed so much over the generations.

Don’t be afraid to change things up now and then to keep things light and fresh, even top companies change their mission statement, once every 10 years or so. Check out our article on Organisation Culture, to learn more on how to implement all these tips and tricks effectively into your business’s work-flow for a smooth and easy transition.

For every good mission statement, there can always be a poorly written one on the other end as well. If it is too fancy and unrealistic, employees and management alike will experience friction trying to stick to those values. It could also send across the wrong message about the brand’s core values to the customers and employees. If that happens, the damage is nearly irreversible.

For example, let us take a look at MGM Resorts’ mission statement: ‘MGM Resorts International is the leader in entertainment & hospitality-a diverse collection of extraordinary people, distinctive brands and best in class destinations.’ This is nothing more than a well-worded pat on the back. The self-flattering nature of the statement fails to deliver any valuable information to the consumer about the company’s values, goals or directives. Avoid this at all costs.

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