What's a Vision Statement?

As a leader in your organization, you should know the vision statement of your company by heart, and understand what it means to you personally. You should also consider creating a vision statement for your own department or team that is directly tied to the overall vision of your company.

A vision statement is something that all successful companies have. Typically, the Senior Management team creates what they see as the future for your company; a vision statement is your inspiration and foundation for all you do in your own business unit or department.

A Watson Wyatt Work Study recently found that companies whose employees understand the mission and goals enjoy a 29 percent greater return than other firms. And the Workplace 2000 Employee Insight Survey noted that U.S. workers want their work to make a difference, but 75% of employees do not think their company's mission statement has become the way they do business. These two surveys back up the need for a clear, undiluted vision statement in your organization. If employees don't know where they company is going, how will they know how to help you get there?

Some of the most well-known U.S. companies or agencies have vision statements that reflect their desired future state. Some examples:

Westin: "Year after year, Westin and its people will be regarded as the best and most sought after hotel and resort management group in North America"

Apple: "An Apple on Every Desk"

As you can see, especially in the example of Apple Computers, a vision statement is not a description of what is happening now, but what the leaders of an organization see when they close their eyes and think about the future.

A vision statement should build enthusiasm. It should provoke inspiration. It should cause people to care. Perhaps one of the most compelling and famous vision statements came from President Kennedy in 1961, when he said: "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon, and returning him safely to earth."

In the summer of 1969 - before that decade was out - a man did walk on the moon. Unfortunately, John F. Kennedy didn't live to see his vision become reality.

A vision statement only need be a sentence or two. Length is less important than content. And leave the detail for future work; a vision statement doesn't describe action, but a statement of the future condition. Getting to the vision is work for the entire organization, which is why they absolutely need to know what the statement says.

You wouldn't have been chosen for your role as a leader if you didn't have vision or if you couldn't see the possibilities ahead for your business, your department, or your team. Some people even create vision statements for themselves, to help guide them in their career or personal life. Vision statements can be extremely motivating, as they come from the heart. When your employees truly understand the vision of their organization and for their team, they will work even harder to achieve the goals for the future.


                                                                         Sincerely,
 

P.S. Visit our website The Leadership Resource for more valuable information to Lead with Confidence!