Clarity of Mission and Vision Statements

Dan Bobinski, President and CEO of Leadership Development, Inc. has published a piece over at Management-Issues, titled "How a clear vision and mission leads to more profits."

In the article, he explains his view on differences between the definitions of mission and vision - which are more often than not misunderstood, or "are intermixed, further clouding their practicality."

Our definitions?

MISSION:

• Explains why an organization exists and what its purpose is. Purpose should be enduring.
• The focus is on WHY, not HOW.
• Timeframe - should last for decades.

VISION:

• Stimulates and guides strategy formulation over the years.
• The focus is on what you want your organization to BE, to HAVE, and to DO ...in 10 years
• Timeframe - should last 10+ years

BOTTOMLINE: "Vision and mission statements create clarity and form a basis for making both strategic and tactical decisions - all of which help a company thrive instead of survive."