This is the latest installment in a series of posts exploring a new model of employee communication, one designed to deliver measurable results that demonstrate the impact on the organization in ways that matter to leaders. In this post, we tackle vision and mission, the first element of culture. Show
The series:
The four overlapping circles at the center of the model represent the best opportunities for employee communication to affect an organization on a day-to-day basis. With this post, I’m beginning the discussion of the five critical elements of culture, the first of the four circles, beginning with vision. In 1987 President George H.W. Bush’s colleagues noted that Bush had a remarkable understanding of complex issues but that he was unable to shape them into larger themes, that he lacked vision. A friend suggested Bush spend a few days at Camp David to figure out where he wanted to take the country. In exasperation, Bush said, “Oh, the vision thing.” The quote was picked up by the press and hung like a dark cloud over his campaign for re-election. It has haunted him ever since. Visions matter, especially in business. Writing about the elements of great corporate culture, business writer John Coleman put vision first: A great culture starts with a vision or mission statement. These simple turns of phrase guide a company’s values and infuse it with purpose. That purpose, in turn, orients every decision employees make. When they are deeply authentic and prominently displayed, good vision statements can even help orient customers, suppliers, and other stakeholders…A vision statement is a simple but foundational element of culture.” (Note: Coleman lists six elements of culture, the basis of the five I include in the model. He also includes narrative in my list, which I have put in the Engagement segment of the employee communication model. It’s also worth noting that Coleman identifies “vision or mission statements.” Ideally, vision and mission statements are different, the vision statement articulating where the organization is going and the mission statement outlining how it will get there and what makes the company different. The reality, though, is that vision and mission statements have become more and more conflated over the years.)) Trouble with “The Vision Thing”Too many corporate leaders fall into the Bush camp. Sure, they have a vision. Make as much money as possible for the company’s shareholders (and, by extension, for themselves). Lest you think I’m just being cynical, consider these real vision and mission statements from Fortune 500 companies:
I have already mentioned in this series that it is dangerous to guide employees’ decisions based on the interests of shareholders. To be fair, some of these companies preface their missions with the shareholder focus, such as AmerisourceBergen: “To build shareholder value by delivering pharmaceutical and healthcare products, services and solutions in innovative and cost-effective ways. We will realize this mission by setting the highest standards in service, reliability, safety and cost containment in our industry.” Still, the endgame of this mission statement is the shareholder’s wealth. ROI is a Byproduct of Vision and MissionIn fact, the money a company makes should be viewed as the key byproduct of what the company does. That is, if we fulfill our vision and live our mission, we’ll wind up making a shit-ton of money. Take a look at some vision/mission statements that employees can use to (in Coleman’s words) orient every decision they make:
Some companies avoid the ROI component of their vision/mission statements, trading it for vagueness. The mission statement of the Hershey Company, for example, is “Undisputed marketplace leadership.” Well, hell, what company doesn’t want that? A vision/mission should spell out that central characteristic(s) that will result in marketplace leadership and ROI. Any company should want to be its marketplace leader. You can’t even tell from this statement that Hershey makes chocolate! Hershey should take a lesson from Godiva: “Godiva’s mission statement is to go global and to promote a high-quality product and service. Godiva chocolate is made to bring sheer delight to its customers.” It’s not the greatest mission statement ever, but employees know they’re making chocolate that’s supposed to bring sheer delight to its customers. If they focus their efforts and decisions on that, you wouldn’t expect the company to have many problems. I have favorite vision statements. One was articulated by President John F. Kennedy on May 25, 1961: It was clear to every NASA employee what they were striving for. It guided every decision. And it empowered them to surmount untold technical obstacles to achieve a goal that was sheer science fiction before that. Another is enshrined in much of Disneyland’s signage: As a result, “cast members” not only understand the “why” behind what’s expected of them, but strive to do it well. If you’ve been to Disneyland, you know there’s never any trash on the ground; it would disrupt the fantasy the park is trying to create in order to make you happy. I remember once at Disneyland, on Main Street we passed by a cast member portraying Mary Poppins who was interacting with a small crowd. A maintenance worker passed by, sweeping trash. As he did, he said, “How are you today, Mary Poppins?” She answered, “Practically perfect in every way, as you well know.” Both knew how important it was to delight guests. Nobody trained the custodian to do that. He just did it. It’s part of the culture. And I’ll never forget Disney Parks social media master Thomas Smith telling the tale of a custodial staffer at the Magic Kingdom named David, who used water as paint and his broom as his brush to create soon-to-evaporate sketches of Disney characters. It wasn’t a job requirement. In fact, it took a bit of time away from his job. Yet it amazed and delighted visitors, earning David special recognition on the Disney Parks blog. One more Disney example. When my wife was five (she was born the year Disneyland opened), my in-laws took her to Disneyland. As they were walking down Main Street, a mustached man in a suit stopped her, bent down, and asked if she was having a good time. She told him (enthusiastically) that she was. Her parents told her after he walked away that that was Walt Disney. I define culture simply as “the way things are done around here.” Investopedia says it’s “the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact and handle outside business transactions.” Either way, NASA and Disney’s visions set the tone for how things are down, how employees interact. If Walt Disney did not want Disneyland to be the happiest place on earth, would he have asked a five-year-old how good a time she was having? Communicating the VisionIn part 3 of this series, I talked about alignment. If employees need to understand where the fit in the company’s big picture in order to align their work and decisions with the organization, nothing is bigger-picture than the vision and mission. While not every communication will overtly reinforce the vision, nothing the company and its leaders communicate should ever contradict the vision and mission. Of course, there will be plenty of opportunities to focus on the vision. From new products and acquisitions and policies, you have an opportunity to make the connection between decisions and vision: How is this moving us toward the vision? How does it fulfill the mission? Even tough decisions, like layoffs or divestitures, should be explained in terms that reflect where the company is headed and how it will get there. Communicators can play a role in communicating vision in a number of ways:
Let’s get some discussion going. Share how you communicate vision and mission in your organization. The graphics for this series were created by Brian O’Mara-Croft. Which of the following is not characteristic of a vision statement?Answer and Explanation: The correct answer is A. The strategic vision statement of an organization need not be consensus driven.
What is an effective mission and vision statement?Your vision statement should inspire people to dream; your mission statement should inspire them to action. The mission statement might refer to a problem, such as an inadequate housing, or a goal, such as providing universal access to health care.
Which are not the part of a mission statement?A mission statement also should not be too specific. Do not include $, %, #'s, goals, or strategies. In a strategic plan, objectives, strategies, and policies should be specific, but not the mission statement. Too much detail in a mission statement can alienate managers and stifle creativity.
What 5 things make for an effective vision statement?Brevity. A good vision statement is succinct, which makes it easy for managers and leaders to communicate and employees to remember. ... . Clarity. ... . Abstract and Challenging. ... . States the Organization's Purpose. ... . Future Focused. ... . Sets a Desirable Goal. ... . Matches the Organization's Success Measures.. |