A mission and a vision are both important elements in an organization's strategic planning, but they have different meanings and purposes.
Mission
A mission statement describes your organization's core business, raison d'être and main objectives. It answers the question "Why does the organization exist?" and focuses on the present. The mission identifies the organization's scope of work, the customers or audiences it serves, and the value it intends to deliver to its stakeholders. A mission provides direction and clarity to the organization's employees and can guide decision making and goal setting.
Vision
A vision, on the other hand, is an inspiring and forward-looking statement that describes the desired state or end result of the organization. It answers the question "Where does the organization want to go?" and focuses on the long term. A vision is often broader and more ambitious than a mission statement and paints a picture of the ideal future state in which the organization sees itself. It guides strategic decision-making and helps inspire and motivate employees and stakeholders.
Examples of companies with inspiring missions and visions
Tesla Inc. Mission: To accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.
Vision:To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world's transition to electric vehicles.
Google Mission: To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Vision:To provide access to the world's information in one click.
Patagonia Mission: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
Vision:We're in business to save our home planet.
Airbnb Mission: To create a world where anyone can belong anywhere.
Vision:We imagine a world where you can belong anywhere. A world where you can wake up in the morning and decide to live in a city, and be in that city by the evening.
Starbucks Mission: To inspire and nurture the human spirit-one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.
Vision:To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles as we grow.
Company values support the mission and vision
Corporate values play an important role in supporting an organization's mission and vision. They form the ethical and cultural basis that helps the organization achieve its goals and express its identity.
Values guide the decision-making, interactions and actions of employees within the organization.
Corporate values can help anchor the mission and vision. They influence corporate culture and help create a common understanding of what is important to the organization.
When a company's values align well with its mission and vision, they can serve as a compass for action of employees and help build trust with customers, partners and other stakeholders. Consistent adherence to the values can lead to strong brand reputation and loyalty of customers and employees.
Wondering how InnoVita puts this into practice for you?
