Comments on: Mission vs. Vision http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/ The Art of Strategic Leadership Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:37:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Stanton Royce http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/comment-page-1/#comment-22215 Stanton Royce Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:37:33 +0000 http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/#comment-22215 Way back in time, God created the Mission Statement- then a bunch of consultants wanting more attention than God began fighting over vision and mission, which is which, should it be a pie chart or pyramid, and if a pyramid, which way should it point and what should be at the point of the pyramid. While the consultants were arguing, God created quantum physics and parallel universes so everyone could do it their own way off in their own little worlds. Point is, what is important within an enterprise is to agree on what is what then plan and work the plan. In practice, in most companies, the work day is full of activities which should be bases on some strategy for goals to achieve objectives which should all be focused on achieving the mission. All activities should be judged as go or no go against the values. Achieving the mission should manifest, create in the material universe, the vision. In reality, to varying degrees and in my experience more so in not-for-profit enterprises but just as common in for-profits, much human activity is based on personal agendas to satisfy some degree of personality disorders and emotional immaturity of the actors, with no regard for the impact of the actions upon the mission. Stanton Royce, MBA, The Millionaire’s Coach® Way back in time, God created the Mission Statement- then a bunch of consultants wanting more attention than God began fighting over vision and mission, which is which, should it be a pie chart or pyramid, and if a pyramid, which way should it point and what should be at the point of the pyramid. While the consultants were arguing, God created quantum physics and parallel universes so everyone could do it their own way off in their own little worlds. Point is, what is important within an enterprise is to agree on what is what then plan and work the plan. In practice, in most companies, the work day is full of activities which should be bases on some strategy for goals to achieve objectives which should all be focused on achieving the mission. All activities should be judged as go or no go against the values. Achieving the mission should manifest, create in the material universe, the vision. In reality, to varying degrees and in my experience more so in not-for-profit enterprises but just as common in for-profits, much human activity is based on personal agendas to satisfy some degree of personality disorders and emotional immaturity of the actors, with no regard for the impact of the actions upon the mission. Stanton Royce, MBA, The Millionaire’s Coach®

]]> By: Sanjay Swarup http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/comment-page-1/#comment-8021 Sanjay Swarup Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:03:20 +0000 http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/#comment-8021 Even Steven Covey talks about taking the time to identify your Mission before you undertake any of your goals in life. I attest that Mission should be on top of the pyramid, and then all the subsequent layers should be how to go about achieving your mission. Even Steven Covey talks about taking the time to identify your Mission before you undertake any of your goals in life. I attest that Mission should be on top of the pyramid, and then all the subsequent layers should be how to go about achieving your mission.

]]> By: kc http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/comment-page-1/#comment-7931 kc Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:56:54 +0000 http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/#comment-7931 Like M. Postilli above, all the research / work I've done in this area show the hierarchy going vision / mission / goals / objectives / strategy / tactics. Agree with values being the underlying aspect / foundation for the organization / culture. Either way, as long as all of the stakeholders agree to the definition things can get moving! It is the interminable time spent defining them that is counter-productive. Like M. Postilli above, all the research / work I’ve done in this area show the hierarchy going vision / mission / goals / objectives / strategy / tactics. Agree with values being the underlying aspect / foundation for the organization / culture.

Either way, as long as all of the stakeholders agree to the definition things can get moving! It is the interminable time spent defining them that is counter-productive.

]]> By: Konrad http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/comment-page-1/#comment-3419 Konrad Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:49:08 +0000 http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/#comment-3419 I could have drawn the pyramid the other way around, with the most fundamental and broad element (mission) at the bottom. I chose this way to draw it because it mirrors how we think about organizations and strategic planning processes. The broadest, most fundamental decision-making tends to happen at the top, and more specific decisions are made lower down. So, it's a top-down hierarchy of decisions. There is also a much larger quantity of the more specific decisions, which works well with the broadening of the graphic toward the bottom. I could have drawn the pyramid the other way around, with the most fundamental and broad element (mission) at the bottom. I chose this way to draw it because it mirrors how we think about organizations and strategic planning processes. The broadest, most fundamental decision-making tends to happen at the top, and more specific decisions are made lower down. So, it’s a top-down hierarchy of decisions. There is also a much larger quantity of the more specific decisions, which works well with the broadening of the graphic toward the bottom.

]]> By: Mike Postilli http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/comment-page-1/#comment-2855 Mike Postilli Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:37:07 +0000 http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/#comment-2855 According to most of the experts on OD that I have read, the mission statement supports the vision but you seem to have it stated in reverse? According to most of the experts on OD that I have read, the mission statement supports the vision but you seem to have it stated in reverse?

]]> By: links for 2008-04-04 | Jeff Longland http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/comment-page-1/#comment-2223 links for 2008-04-04 | Jeff Longland Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:34:05 +0000 http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/#comment-2223 [...] Mission vs. Vision (tags: projectmanagement) addthis_url = 'http%3A%2F%2Fjeff.edublogs.org%2F2008%2F04%2F03%2Flinks-for-2008-04-04%2F'; addthis_title = 'links+for+2008-04-04'; addthis_pub = ''; [...] [...] Mission vs. Vision (tags: projectmanagement) addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fjeff.edublogs.org%2F2008%2F04%2F03%2Flinks-for-2008-04-04%2F’; addthis_title = ‘links+for+2008-04-04′; addthis_pub = ”; [...]

]]> By: janna http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/comment-page-1/#comment-872 janna Thu, 25 Oct 2007 22:27:11 +0000 http://blog.bluesummit.net/strategy/mission-vs-vision/2007/#comment-872 If you see the mission, vision, strategy -objectives as a heirarchy of broadest to most specific, then why isnt the traingle inverted to show that? It seems your graphic is in direct oposition to your words. If you see the mission, vision, strategy -objectives as a heirarchy of broadest to most specific, then why isnt the traingle inverted to show that? It seems your graphic is in direct oposition to your words.

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