Mission, vision and
values are supposed to be the North Star of strategic
planning, the beacon by which organizations set their
strategic compasses and then align their everyday
priority setting.
Many organizations have attempted to redefine the business they are in, or even streamline their growth in a specific direction. An interesting trend in recent times is that companies have begun to
define their "Vision/Mission Statement". A mission statement articulates
the philosophy of the company with respect to the business in specific
and society in general. Once the mission statement of the company is
finalized and adapted, it provides a readymade guideline to employees of
the organization about its principles, policies and practices.
It is important here to distinguish between "vision" and "mission" for
the organisation. Vision is often referred to as "skyhooks for the
soul". In fact, vision is that igniting spark that can inspire and
energise people to do better. The focus of vision is to reach out
hungrily for the future and drag it into the present. To quote Tom
Peters, "Developing a vision and living it vigorously are essential
elements of leadership". The latest trend in many organisations is to
apply the "VIP" approach i.e. "Vision Integrated Performance."
Vision statements
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Describe an ideal future.
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Reflect the essence of an organization’s
mission and values.
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Answer the question, what impact do we
want to have on society?
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Unite an organization in a common,
coherent strategic direction.
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Convey a larger sense of organizational
purpose, so that employees see themselves as “building a
cathedral” rather than “laying stones”.
Mission statements
-
Describe the overall purpose of an
organization: what we do, who we do it for, and how and
why we do it.
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Set the boundaries of the organization’s
current activities.
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Are the starting point in developing a
strategic vision.
A mission review gets
an organization back to basics. The essential activity of
determining whom you serve can be a wake-up call for
organizations that have started to skew their activities
to meet the needs other stakeholders (such as their
funders or lobby targets) and not their actual clients.
Values statements
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Reflect the core ideology of an
organization, the deeply held values that do not change
over time.
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Answer the question, how do we carry out
our mission?
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Are the values your organization lives,
breathes and reflects in all its activities, not the
ones you think you should have.
.....................................................................................................................................................
Reason for Being
This is the soul-searching
activity, where the organisation tries to answer the critical questions
like `why are we here' and 'where are we today'? This analysis of the
present is essential, because it provides the true picture of today from
where we begin the journey towards the future.
The vision is a
compelling but not controlling force that shows us where we want to be.
To quote KWAN 'JZU (3RD CENTURY BC), "When planning for a year, sow
corn; when planning for a decade, plant trees; when planning for life,
train and educate men". Once the vision statement has been
conceptualised and indicates the direction the organisation is heading
for, and then we work towards the mission which basically includes the
performance parameter. This also encompasses quality, service
orientation, cost-effectiveness and such specific variables.
Picture of preferred future
All major achievements through out history are attributable to people
with powerful dreams about the future. Martin Luther King's "I have a
dream" or NASA's "Man on the moon by the end of the decade" are
excellent examples of vision. Thus, here we are trying to project what
we wish our company to be in the future. The vision promotes trust and
trust is the foundation of any successful human enterprise. It is this
trust that can build very successful teams. In fact, we compare the
vision to a magnetic force that draws people to it and aligns them in
the same direction. Further individuals who do not espouse the vision
would be repelled by it, the same way that mismatched poles of a magnet
repel each other. Needless to say, everyone in the organisation wants
the organisation to grow and develop, but there could be often conflict
between personal and organisational priorities. It is in this context
that perfect synchronisation is required. The "Mission Statement" thus
indicates and specifics what the organisation is striving to adhere. It
expresses the objective of the organisation and the various activities
that need to be carried out to achieve the objective. In general any
mission statement comprises of two core components of the values and
strategies.
Values
There are fundamental
beliefs that are inculcated and practiced in the organisation. In fact,
the organisation culture is often dependent on its value systems. The
seven principles of Matsushita are an excellent example of values of an
organization. Similarly, the Johnson and Johnson credo says, "We believe
our primary responsibility is to the doctors, nurses and patients,
mothers and all others who use our products and services". It must be
remembered that unless these values are internalised by one and all in
the organisation, they become fancy advertisements matter or beautiful
wall hangings. Another good example is of British Airways' "putting
people first" or JET AIRWAYS "the joy of flying "and BPL's "believe in
the best".
Strategy
The component of the
Mission Statement is more important and focuses on the organisation
plans and objectives in its business. The strategy of Ford Motors is
"Quality comes first. Customers are the focus of everything we do".
"Konsuke Matsushita even elaborates that the purpose of his company is
to serve society and profits are only a by-product. Hence, their
strategy is "Fairness in all its business and individual dealings". Some
good examples in India include Wipro `close to the customer". Or ITCs "
New horizons, New hopes " or Procter and Gamble's "statement of
purpose". It is of critical importance to realise that even if the
values and strategies are well designed and enunciated, the success
would depend upon their implementation by individuals in the
organisation. Hence, it is always desirable that the mission statement
be finalised with the involvement of the employees. We are seeing a
specific trend where many organizations are trying to finalise their
vision and mission statements. There are strategic management
consultants who conduct workshops for 2-3 days, where the top management
team brainstorms as a group. Kindly what they perceive is their vision
of the future of the company, what are the impediments to achieving that
vision and how to overcome them. This process if done in a systematic
manner can prove to be an ideal trigger for the organization to focus on
its future. It is also important to realize that organizations have to
review their mission statements on a regular basis. By the process they
could reconceptualize their current businesses and forces on what it
would be worth being in the future. Some recent examples include Brooke
Bond and Lipton entering the field of foods such as jams, squashes and
ice creams and Bata extending its range from shoes to accessories like
belts, T-shirts and such items. Thus in defining their vision and
mission statements, organisations are beginning to look into the future
more seriously. Actually companies that create the future are 'rebels"
of a kind. To quote Akio Marita, Sony's visionary leader "our plans is
to lead the public with new products, rather than ask them what kind of
products they want; hence we create a products and then create a market
by educating and communicating to the public about the product".
The "Walkman", music system is the best example of the mission of Sony, as seen of reality in action.
Stated below are the Vision statements of some highly focused and successful organisations-
SIEMENS: Where technology touches lives
DU PONT: Better things for better living through Chemistry
HYUNDAI: Building a better world through innovative technology
NOKIA: Connecting people
XEROX: The document company
IBM: Solutions for a small planet
PHILIPS: Let's make things better
BPL: Believe in the best
Developing a Mission Statement
1. Basically, the mission statement describes the overall purpose
of the organization.
2. If the organization elects to develop a vision statement before
developing the mission statement, ask “Why does the image,
the vision exist -- what is its purpose?” This purpose is
often the same as the mission.
3. Developing a mission statement can be quick culture-specific,
i.e., participants may use methods ranging from highly analytical
and rational to highly creative and divergent, e.g., focused discussions,
divergent experiences around daydreams, sharing stories, etc.
Therefore, visit with the participants how they might like to
arrive at description of their organizational mission.
4. When wording the mission statement, consider the organization's
products, services, markets, values, and concern for public image,
and maybe priorities of activities for survival.
5. Consider any changes that may be needed in wording of the mission
statement because of any new suggested strategies during a recent
strategic planning process.
6. Ensure that wording of the mission is to the extent that management
and employees can infer some order of priorities in how products
and services are delivered.
7. When refining the mission, a useful exercise is to add or delete
a word from the mission to realize the change in scope of the
mission statement and assess how concise is its wording.
8. Does the mission statement include sufficient description that
the statement clearly separates the mission of the organization
from other organizations?
Developing a Vision Statement
1. The vision statement includes vivid description of the organization
as it effectively carries out its operations.
2. Developing a vision statement can be quick culture-specific,
i.e., participants may use methods ranging from highly analytical
and rational to highly creative and divergent, e.g., focused discussions,
divergent experiences around daydreams, sharing stories, etc.
Therefore, visit with the participants how they might like to
arrive at description of their organizational vision.
3. Developing the vision can be the most enjoyable part of planning,
but the part where time easily gets away from you.
4. Note that originally, the vision was a compelling description
of the state and function of the organization once it had implemented
the strategic plan, i.e., a very attractive image toward which
the organization was attracted and guided by the strategic plan.
Recently, the vision has become more of a motivational tool, too
often including highly idealistic phrasing and activities which
the organization cannot realistically aspire.
Developing a Values Statement
1. Values represent the core priorities in the organization’s
culture, including what drives members’ priorities and how
they truly act in the organization, etc. Values are increasingly
important in strategic planning. They often drive the intent and
direction for “organic” planners.
2. Developing a values statement can be quick culture-specific,
i.e., participants may use methods ranging from highly analytical
and rational to highly creative and divergent, e.g., focused discussions,
divergent experiences around daydreams, sharing stories, etc.
Therefore, visit with the participants how they might like to
arrive at description of their organizational values.
3. Establish four to six core values from which the organization
would like to operate. Consider values of customers, shareholders,
employees and the community.
4. Notice any differences between the organization’s preferred
values and its true values (the values actually reflected by members’
behaviors in the organization). Record each preferred value on
a flash card, then have each member “rank” the values
with 1, 2, or 3 in terms of the priority needed by the organization
with 3 indicating the value is very important to the organization
and 1 is least important. Then go through the cards again to rank
how people think the values are actually being enacted in the
organization with 3 indicating the values are fully enacted and
1 indicating the value is hardly reflected at all. Then address
discrepancies where a value is highly preferred (ranked with a
3), but hardly enacted (ranked with a 1).
5. Incorporate into the strategic plan, actions to align actual
behavior with preferred behaviors...........................................................................................................
Does your organization
have a Mission Statement? You probably do. How about a Vision Statement? A
Values Statement?
If you do not have these
three statements, or if you have them but are not using them to guide your
organization's work, you are missing out on some of the simplest and most
effective governance tools you could find. These statements of your Vision,
your Mission and your Values can define and guide your organization's ability
to create the future of your community!
Vision vs.
Mission
We can't really begin the discussion
of the Vision Statement and the Mission Statement without first addressing the
semantic difference between the two. Get 10 consultants in a room, and you may
get 10 different answers to just what that difference is!
To distinguish between
Vision and Mission in our own work, we have defaulted back to the plain English
usage of those words. And the simplest way we have found to show that
difference in usage is to add the letters "ary" to the end of each word.
VisionARY
MissionARY
We certainly know what
those two words mean. A visionary is someone who sees what is possible, who
sees the potential. A missionary is someone who carries out that work.
Our favorite example of
this everyday usage is Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was a visionary. He saw
the potential, the possibilities for making life better. His
missionaries carry his work and his words to the world, putting his
vision into practice.
Your organization's vision
is all about what is possible, all about that potential. The mission is what it
takes to make that vision come true.
Vision
Statement
If your Vision Statement is a
statement of what is possible, the picture of the future you want to create,
the critical question for a Community Benefit organization is then, "Vision for
whom? For what?" From the perspective of your organization's ability to
accomplish as much community impact as possible, now and into the future, the
only answer can be that your organization's vision is for the future you
want to create for the community you wish to impact.
An effective Vision
Statement will therefore tell the world what change you wish to create for the
future of your community. Our vision is a community where _______________. Our
vision is a community that _______________.
Given that this sector is
all about changing our communities and our world, I am amazed that the
corporate version of a Vision Statement is still taught in this sector. But
conference presenter after conference presenter continue to teach that "Your
organization's Vision Statement is the picture of the future you want for the
organization."
In a for-profit company,
that definition of a Vision Statement makes sense. Self-perpetuation is what
such a company is meant to do - to keep creating profits, long into the future,
for those who own that company.
But when the purpose of an
organization is Community Benefit, its vision must be for the community, not
for itself.
When an organization's
Vision Statement focuses on the organization itself, we end up seeing Vision
Statements like this one, which falls into the "We couldn't make this up"
category.
A crisis nursery for
abused and neglected children showed us the Vision Statement they had posted in
their lobby. It read, "Our vision is to be the most effective crisis nursery in
the state."
For those of you who have
heard me speak about this from a podium, you know this is the point where my
voice raises three octaves and I cry, "NO!" The ultimate vision, from the
community's perspective, is not that the community has an incredible crisis
nursery, but that they not need a crisis nursery! The vision for what is
possible is a community where children and their families are safe!
We can only create
significant improvement in our communities if our vision is about exactly that
- the difference we want to make, the dream of our communities' highest
potential.
We
Couldn't Make This Up
A human service
organization proudly showed us that their Vision Statement took up an entire
page. That page described, in minute detail, the future of that organization. A
full paragraph described what the facility would look like. Another full
paragraph described what the programs would be like, and yet another paragraph
detailed (I swear I am not making this up) how the organization would be
financially sound. In this entire single-spaced, jam-packed page, the word
"client" appeared once, and the word "community" appeared not at all.
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Your Vision Statement will
therefore answer the big question - WHY are you doing what you are doing? You
are doing it so you can create a community that is better than the way things
are now. You are doing it so that individuals' lives will be better, so that
everyone's lives will be better. Your Vision Statement will create that
context. It will tell where you are heading.
So, for your
organization's Vision Statement, fill in this blank:
Our
vision is a community where ________________________________.
or
Our
vision is a community that __________________________________.
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Example:
At the Community-Driven
Institute, our vision is a vibrant, healthy, compassionate
world.
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Mission
Statement
Like the Missionary, your Mission
Statement will turn your vision into practice. The Mission Statement is the one
that will actually do the work.
Again, it is easy to see
what the Mission Statement needs to do if we go back to plain English usage.
Consider the phrase "mission accomplished" - the work is done. Consider the
phrase "mission impossible" - the job cannot be done. The mission is the doing
part - it is what you will do to bring that vision to reality.
And while it is powerful
to talk about the work you do, it is more powerful to talk about it in the
context of why you are doing that work - your vision for making your community
an amazing place to live.
As you craft your mission
statement, then, consider starting with your Vision Statement as the lead-in to
your Mission Statement:
Our
vision is a community where ________________. To bring that vision into
reality, we do ______________________.
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To expand on the practical
part of your Mission Statement, you might add where you do your work, and for
whom, to further describe what you do.
Our
vision is a community where ________________. To bring that vision into
reality, we do ______________________________ for ________________ in the
___________ region / area / township / etc.
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Mission Statements should
not be flowery and overblown. If it is taking a committee 6 months to rewrite
your Mission Statement, the resulting Mission Statement will likely be bad.
Keep it simple simple simple!
I am not a fan of the
thinking that says "Your Mission Statement should fit on a Tshirt." That is a
slogan, an ad campaign. Perhaps if you are Coca-Cola that might make sense. For
the work we do in this sector, we don't need to be snazzy. Just tell folks what
you do, and why you are doing it.
Examples:
One of our
favorite mission statements is that of the Diaper Bank we founded.
The
Diaper Bank's long term vision is a community where everyone's basic needs are
met. To accomplish this in the short term we provide diapers to needy
populations. To effect long term community improvement, we work to increase
awareness of the issues facing vulnerable populations.
The
mission statement of the Community-Driven Institute is:
Our
vision is for a healthy, compassionate, vibrant world. Our mission is therefore
to ensure the Community Benefit Sector has practical tools for accomplishing
those visionary ends. We do this work by convening, engaging, mobilizing and
supporting the sector, to ensure we all have the means to make our world an
amazing place.
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Values
Statement
Whether written to be effective or
ineffective, Mission Statements and Vision Statements are relatively common in
this sector.
But that is where most
organizations stop. Vision and Mission. Statements of where we are headed, and
what we will do to get there.
It is the rare
organization that takes the time to then define HOW they will do that work -
the talk they want to walk.
The only way we can create
an amazing future for our communities is if we do our work in a way that
reflects universally shared values. This ensures we do not squander our time
and resources rationalizing our actions, and it helps ensure we are not
potentially squandering our community's goodwill.
Further, if your goal is
to create the future of your community - the lofty goals of your vision
statement - then you will want to ensure your work reflects the values you want
to see in your community.
A Values Statement
provides the tools for the organization to accomplish that. First, the Values
Statement will look outside the organization, to the visionary outcomes you
want to create for your community.
What
values will need to be present in the community for your vision to come to
pass?
What
values would the community need to emphasize? What values would have to be the
norm?
From there, your Values
Statement will look inside, to see how your own work will model those values,
to teach those values by example.
How
will your work reflect those values?
How
will you ensure you are modeling those values to the community?
When
you have a tough decision to make, will you always err on the side of those
values?
Fill
in the blank: We always want the community to be able to say __________ about
the way we do our work.
Most boards we encounter
have never talked about these issues.
The rare few who do indeed
have a code of values - a Values Statement - may point to the sign on the wall
in the lobby, to prove they have such a thing. But in practice, they have no
mechanisms for ensuring their stated values are used in their work. They have
no way of translating the sign on the wall into the decisions they make and the
actions they take every day.
That is the power of what
a Values Statement can do. It will not only tell the world outside and inside
the organization what talk you want to walk, but it can give you the tools for
measuring whether or not you are indeed walking that talk!
When we begin talking with
organizations about creating a Values Statement, we get mixed reactions. One of
the most common reactions is, "We don't need this. We already know what our
values are."
When we ask a few key
questions, though, it becomes clear that while everyone on the board believes
they have a shared core of values, in fact, each board member simply believes,
"Everyone here shares my values!"
One of the other common
reactions we get when the issue of "values" is raised is that a discussion of
values is little more than "Touchy Feely mumbo jumbo," with no real practical
application to the work the organization does.
And again, the truth is
directly opposite of that. Boards face values-based dilemmas at the board table
all the time - they just don't recognize them as such. Any time the board is
faced with the question of "What is important here?" that is a values-based
decision.
- Are there groups from whom it is not ok to accept
donations?
- What kind of employee benefits package should we
offer?
- When a board member betrays a confidential matter,
what should we do?
- When we've outgrown our rental space, should we buy
a building and potentially go into debt, or just lease more space?
These questions (and a
thousand more lined up behind them) all pivot on values issues. Any discussion
that focuses on the question, "What's more important - this, or that?" is a
discussion of values. And without prior discussion of what values will guide
decisions, each of these discussions has no context for the decision.
And while all these issues
are important reasons for addressing core values in the form of a formal
statement, the most critical reason is this:
Absent a values-based context for decision-making,
groups are more likely to default to fear-based decision-making when things get
tough. And those fear-based decisions are more likely to cross the very lines
we would have agreed we would not cross, had we talked about those values in
the first place. The only defense against making fear-based decisions you may
live to regret is to have discussed core values ahead of time.
Your Values Statement will
start with your Vision and Mission, and will then talk about how you will
ensure that work is done to model the behaviors you want to see in the
community.
The 3
Statements in Practice
As has been stated
throughout this article, the Vision Statement, Mission Statement and Values
Statements are not simply for hanging in your lobby or putting on your
letterhead. These are practical tools that will help your board govern towards
creating more impact in your community.
Here are just a few ways
these statements can be used to further your work.
Begin Board Meetings
with All 3 Statements
Board meetings have a tendency to quickly dive
into the million small items that need to be addressed. By starting the meeting
with just a few moments to review and talk about these 3 Statements, you are
setting the tone and the context for those practical discussions.
What are we really here
for? What is the context of the decisions we will make today? What future are
we trying to create, and for whom? And when we do make decisions - which is
what we are here to do - what will we base those decisions on?
By starting each meeting
with a re-commitment to those 3 Statements, you will be more likely to keep
them in your mind as your board does its work.
Have the 3 Statements
Available at the Board Table
Because it is not always easy to remember
to fall back on these 3 Statements when we are faced with tough decisions, have
copies of the 3 Statements available on the board table at every meeting, to
serve as physical reminders.
We cannot count the times,
during tough decisions, that we have seen a board member, deep in thought,
reach across the table for a copy of their Values Statement, to put that
decision into perspective.
Ask the Question
A great habit to cultivate is to have the question asked, for each and
every decision of the board, "How will this fit into our Vision for the future
of the Community?"
And then, as your board
directs a committee or the staff to do particular tasks, ask the question, "Are
there specific parts of our Values Statement we want the staff to pay attention
to, as they do that work?"
The only way to remain
conscious of these guideposts is to do just that - be conscious. Keep those 3
Statements consciously in the forefront of your decision-making. And the
easiest way to do that is to create habits, such as these, that remind the
board, all the time - this is what we are about. When we have tough decisions
to make, this is what we have said is important.
Use the 3 Statements as
the Context for Your Organization's Planning
The most influential
decisions your organization will make happen during your annual planning
sessions. (Don't forget that "budgeting" is planning as well. Your budget is
the financial plan for the coming year - the place where your plans will either
become reality, or die for lack of inclusion in the budget.)
When it is time to
determine goals for the coming year, how will those goals fit in with the
future you want to create for the community? As you pursue those goals, what
values do you want to be sure guide that work? And as you start planning for
how you will use the next year's work to further your vision for the community,
are there areas of "What you do" - your mission - that might need to expand?
As you create your annual
plans, thoughtfully consider how those plans align behind your dreams for the
community. And make sure your 3 Statements are guiding those plans.
Using
the Values Statement to Evaluate Your ED / CEO
Evaluating your CEO based on what they did is easy. We tally up everything the
CEO was directed to do, and see if that was, in fact, done.
But if your CEO knows
he/she will also be evaluated based on whether or not he/she adhered to your
Values Statement in doing that work, you will then be able to measure not only
whether he/she did the work, but how that work was done.
Using
the 3 Statements to Evaluate the Board's Own Performance Throughout the
Year
It is the
rare board that takes the time to evaluate itself. We have watched boards
openly rebel against doing that at meetings, seeing it as a time-waster. But if
boards are not monitoring their own progress, how can they move the
organization forward?
A simple board
self-evaluation can be done by using the 3 Statements
Vision
Have we done our work in a way that will move our vision
forward? Have we focused entirely on our mission, at the exclusion of our
vision? How might we change our work to aim at that vision?
Mission
Have
we done our work in a way that monitors to ensure we really are accomplishing
our mission? And if not, how might we change our work to ensure we are indeed
accomplishing that work?
Values
Have
we done our work in a way that adheres to the universally shared values at the
core of our Values Statement? And if not, how might we change our work to
ensure we are indeed walking our talk?
The board is the leader of
the organization. If the board is assessing its own work in light of these 3
Statements, it is taking a huge step in reaching for the organization's highest
potential to create an amazing community.
Conclusion:
A Mission
Statement that tells what the organization does, while necessary, is
incomplete. By adding the Vision Statement that explains why the organization
is doing that work - where it is aiming - and the Values Statement explaining
how the organization will do that work, the board will have three solid tools
to serve as a barometer, regardless of who is on the board at the time.
By
creating these 3 Statements, and by committing to have those statements guide
your organization's work, your board will have 3 simple yet powerful tools for
ensuring continuity of your efforts to create a better future for the community
you serve.
The Canadian
Cancer Society – a great example
Mission
The Canadian Cancer
Society is a national, community-based organization of
volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer
and the enhancement of the quality of life of people
living with cancer.
Vision
Creating a world
where no Canadian fears cancer.
Values
These serve as
guidelines for our conduct and behaviour as we work
towards our vision.
Quality –
our focus is on the people we serve (cancer
patients, their families, donors, and the public)
and we will strive for excellence through evaluation
and continuous improvement.
Caring –
we are committed to serving with empathy and
compassion.
Way To Success:
To get the job done:
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Don’t get hung up
on semantics. If a future-oriented mission statement
works for your organization as both mission and vision,
go for it! The important thing is to understand what you
do (and don’t do) and what you are working towards.
Gaining consensus on this and being able to communicate
it to stakeholders are huge achievements.
-
Don’t tie yourself
in knots with wordsmithing. Take the process as far
as you can go, and then pick a group to finalize your
words based on the discussion. Your meeting time is
better spent moving forward than polishing after
consensus has been achieved.
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Consider
developing three to five mini-visions instead of a
single vision statement. These may be easier to
develop than a single, perfect overarching statement.
Remember, it’s all about signalling intentions.
To ensure
inspirational and practical results:
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Put “mega” into
your mission and vision. What kind of world are you
helping to create for tomorrow’s children? What added
value to society is your organization working towards?
It’s a concept that should not be restricted to
charitable organizations or public benefit associations.
Roger Kaufman, a well-known strategic planning author,
champions the need for an organization’s planning to
have a “Mega” dimension that focuses on external
clients, including customers/citizens and the community
that the organization serves. Mega goals address the
need for companies to have a higher purpose than simply
making money – or simply serving a narrow interest group
in the case of associations. Collins found that
paradoxically, companies with a higher purpose were more
financially successful than companies strictly focussed
on profit.
The mission of the
Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists and
Geophysicists of Alberta is to serve society and protect
the public by regulating, enhancing and providing
leadership in the practice of the professions of
engineering, geology and geophysics. The Canadian
Manufacturers & Exporters’ mission is to continuously
improve the competitiveness of Canadian industry and to
expand export business. Wow! Serving society and the
sector are much better long-term strategies than serving
the membership alone. I contrast the mission of the
Science Teachers of Manitoba “To promote and support the
development of science education for teachers and students
of Manitoba” with another provincial teacher’s group
“Through leadership and service we dedicate ourselves to
the promotion of the professional excellence and personal
well-being of teachers…”
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Make sure your
value statements are meaningful to your everyday
operations by spelling out what you mean. The key to
meaningful values is to avoid lists of single words.
After all, we all believe in integrity, don’t we? The
Canadian Cancer Society example, given above, shows how
definitions transform values from slogans to guidelines.
Many private and
non-profit organizations use a code of ethics, a credo or
other long-form description of what they believe in. The
John Howard Society sets out six principles to guide the
activities of its employees and volunteers, including
“People have the right to live in a safe and peaceful
society as well as a responsibility implied by this right
to respect the law” and “All people have the potential to
become responsible citizens.” These kinds of values
statements help people to make decisions, and to respect
the intent and spirit of their organization’s purpose and
plan even when specific situations aren’t covered.
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Finally, learn it,
live it, align it. This means spending time making
sure your organizational goals and objectives are
aligned with your mission, vision and values. Are you
serving your clients or your members in all your
activities? Are you true to the intent of your mission
and vision? Are your departmental objectives and tactics
supporting your mission and in line with your values?
Well-written phrases are nothing without good execution
- Enron’s values statement famously included “respect,
integrity, communication, excellence”.
Mission, vision and
values statements are fundamental to strategic planning
and good management. And reviewing major decisions
against these yardsticks is a powerful governance tool.
Reviews allow those involved to truly understand the
objectives of the organization, to make everyday decisions
that are consistent, and to buy into new directions. The
organization is able to evolve without experiencing chaos
because its overall direction and intent are clear. The
Board, employees and volunteers gain a sense of pride in
working for an organization that stands for something and
are united by a common sense of purpose. These are
compelling reasons to create meaningful, reflective
statements that shine beyond your organization’s annual
report and web page, bringing guidance and motivation to
all your initiatives.
Collected By Bishnu Neupane.
