Vision Statements
Mantras
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Statements
Vision Statements Mantras |
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last
updated 2014 Nov 17
see
also GOPST - Goals, Objectives, Plans, Strategies and Tactics
witiger.com/ecommerce/GOPST.htm
see
also SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats
witiger.com/ecommerce/SWOT.htm
For the students of Prof. W. Tim G. Richardson, Toronto, Canada
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STATEMENTS 
according to Wong et al in the MRK 106 text |
Mission Statements
- "an organizations basic purpose of being"
It orients the company
Mission Statements can change
see www.stfrancis.edu/ba/ghkickul/stuwebs/btopics/works/mission.htm by Leann Cardani of St. Francis University "Creating a mission is one of the first actions an organization should take. ...By defining a mission an organization is making a statement of organizational purpose. |
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STATEMENTS 
according to Strategic Marketing by Mooradian et al |
Mission / Vision
Statements "clarify the firm's identity and purpose and should include
at least four elements
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statements |
Mission Statements explain
what the company is good at, who the customer is that they care about,
and what the company does that might be really good compared to the competition.
Vision statements explain
where the company is going in the future - it should have some words that
deal with future changes and how the company is going to make some changes
to deal with changes in the competitive environment and the technological
environment.
Some people get a vision statement confused with a mission statement. "A vision statement pushes the association toward some future goal or achievement, while a mission statement guides current, critical, strategic decision making," (Drohan, 1999).Some people suggest that corporate consultants are constantly trying to "re-invent" the "power" and prestige associated with such terms and may be trying to sound "more important" by saying "it's not a simple 'ol Mission Statement, it's a Vision Statement" If
properly written, Vision Statements can be a check to make sure that the
words outlined in the Mission Statement and Goal and Objectives fit - meaning
the Vision Statement sets up the future things you are trying to achieve,
and if you waste energy on things in a Mission or Goal and Objectives that
DO NOT fit the Vision, then you should not do those things.
"Without a clear Vision Statement that everybody understands how do you know where you are going? Typically you don’t and you end up coming in with a different idea every week that you are sure will help you succeed."WTGR |
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MISSION STATEMENTS |
Sometimes companies also
have Mission Statements in addition to a Goal. One of the big differences
between a Mission Statement and a Goal is that a Mission Statement is often
worded in such a way that it can be used in advertising and P.R. For example
- the corporate Goal might be
"To be the largest forest products company in Canada" the Mission Statement might be "Contributing to our Environment, through Responsible Harvesting". They don't like to convey the image of "cutting down trees", so they use a euphemistic phrase "harvesting". WTGR |
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explained GOALS |
Goals--
Goals are the ultimate thing you want to achieve. Usually a Goal is a single
thing, but in some cases it can be two things. If there are more than three
Goals - then maybe they aren't Goals, but rather Objectives. Goal are the
statements that a company uses to motivate employees and statements used
to judge and measure challenges that you face.
Goals are supposed to be what you end up with , if you have achieved your objectives. Excellently worded goals should include statements indicating something that can be accomplished from Objectives that are met. Examples:
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statements |
Varsha added
Guy said that Mission Statements can be, in some situations, useless. Companies pay consultants thousands of dollars to determine an appropriate Mission Statement but the end result is not as effective as a Mantra. Guy explains that a Mantra is a short phrase or sentence that truly captures the essence of the company in a way that long, impersonal Mission Statements can't. He gave the suggestion that Wendy's should change their Mission Statement into the Mantra - "Healthy Fast Food". This Mantra can be driven home to each employee from high level management to lower level staff. After listening to Guy Kawasaki, I have to agree that a Mantra would be more effective and entrepreneurs should focus on them instead of Mission Statements. " Click this link to view the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT7xlFTinIw Jasbindar Singh is a business
psychologist
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statements |
Witiger,
I
think Mission Statements do not need to be replaced, but rather it might
be understood that a Mission Statement is a "publicity oriented" statement
of what the corporation wants to accomplish whereas a Mantra is a motivationally
oriented "expression" that can serve as an identifying slogan/phrase to
assist in accomplishing "branding" objectives.
I also think it depends on what type of company you are talking about - if it is a branded consumer products company in an intensely competitive environment (such as cosmetics or beverages) it may help to have a Mantra, if you are an autoparts company that primarily deals in B2B situations, a Mantra may be meaningless cause the general public has no opportunity to ever know about you. |
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statements are a waste of time ! |
1.
Not everybody thinks Mission Statements are valuable
2. Whether they are valuable or not, a number of people think the way companies write Mission Statements is
In a July 2012 article Henderson advises 'Someone cooked up the idea of “mission statements” back in the 1970s as an angle to sell books about how to run a business. The concept flooded into MBA programs ostensibly as a way to get a competitive edge. It’s a useless exercise because mission statements are wordy gobbeldygook. Mission statements are inward-looking words intended to get everyone in an organization on the same page. Sort of like, we are nice people who will treat our customers with respect and provide high quality products. In other words, it’s a company or organization talking about itself. Not only boring and bland but who cares?! Absolutely no one." Henderson makes the valid point that "No one cares to hear any company talk about itself. No one cares. It’s a harsh reality for some C-suite types to comprehend but it’s true. No one, including shareholders, cares “about” your outfit." Henderson's best advice is that "What matters is how incisively a company or organization positions itself in today’s fiercely competitive world and how they can explain – in 12 words or less – what’s special and distinctive about products and services that anyone should scramble to buy or invest. Positioning is trust, interest, influence, and, yes, excitement in the value of a company’s unique products and services. " from
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statements are a waste of time ! huh ?? |
examples
of some Mission Statements that
"Our mission is to operate the best specialty retail business in America, regardless of the product we sell. Because the product we sell is books, our aspirations must be consistent with the promise and the ideals of the volumes which line our shelves. To say that our mission exists independent of the product we sell is to demean the importance and the distinction of being booksellers. "As booksellers we are determined to be the very best in our business, regardless of the size, pedigree or inclinations of our competitors. We will continue to bring our industry nuances of style and approaches to bookselling which are consistent with our evolving aspirations. "Above all, we expect to be a credit to the communities we serve, a valuable resource to our customers, and a place where our dedicated booksellers can grow and prosper. Toward this end we will not only listen to our customers and booksellers but embrace the idea that the Company is at their service." . |
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statements Who needs them !
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In a Aug 2011 article, Prof. Buchen explains Mission Statements are often not relevant because the plans and strategies, upon which they are based, are changing rapidly in a competitive global economy. Buchen
says
A number of flaws seem built in. The most obvious is that although mission statements are intended to speak and apply to all, relatively few are actually involved in the process itself. In addition, the members of the appointed task force often contain so many mostly familiar names and faces that the final outcome is predictably the same old, same old. Then
too those chosen for the task often do not reflect internal company demographics
and variety; or more significant perhaps are not generally representative
of customer diversity and cultures. Finally, the head of the task force
is usually a reluctant leader, an old hand who has been around the block
many times, and a seasoned professional who is known for his ability to
complete tasks on time and within budget—all of which misses or falls short
of catching the special dynamics of crafting statements of focus and force."
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statements
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examples
of some Mission Statements
University
of Toronto
UofT's Mission "The University of Toronto is committed to being an internationally significant research university, with undergraduate, graduate and professional programs of excellent quality."Between the declared Mission and statement of Objectives, UofT has a section titled "Purpose of the University" "The University of Toronto is dedicated to fostering an academic community in which the learning and scholarship of every member may flourish, with vigilant protection for individual human rights, and a resolute commitment to the principles of equal opportunity, equity and justice." "Within the unique university context, the most crucial of all human rights are the rights of freedom of speech, academic freedom, and freedom of research. And we affirm that these rights are meaningless unless they entail the right to raise deeply disturbing questions and provocative challenges to the cherished beliefs of society at large and of the university itself. It is this human right to
radical, critical teaching and research with which the University has a
duty above all to be concerned; for there is no one else, no other institution
and no other office, in our modern liberal democracy, which is the custodian
of this most precious and vulnerable right of the liberated human spirit."
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statements
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statements Canadian
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examples
of some Vision and Mission Statements in the financial community
RBC Dominion Securities http://dir.rbcinvestments.com/pictures.....f CIBC - short and simple
BMO Nesbitt Burns http://www.bmonesbittburns.com/IA/I............ Scotiabank
TD Bank http://www.td.com/corporate-responsibility/crr-2010/our-approach/about-td/index.jsp |
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Drift  |
Mission
Drift
When an organization starts to develop objectives that
Maclean's pointed out that it has become "fashionable" for Canadian public health departments to spend time talking about "income equity" as a grave threat to health care with the suggestion that we just need higher taxes of rich people and all the poor people with poor health will be fixed. Ebola !!! - Maclean's ran
a cover story saying the WHO World Health Organization had "failed to provide
effective leadership in the fight against Ebole..", but had instead made
a big deal out of having a conference on smoking tobacco - with a focus
on even high taxes on tobacco.
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Drift |
Mission
Drift
"Mission drift is a condition
of diminished IMPACT due to decision that subtly alter the course of an
organization. Ultimately these decisions hinder the organization's ability
to reach its intended destination. Some symptoms of mission drift are:
from http://www.xfactorllc.com/resourcesarticlesdetail.asp?id=35
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