Mission & Vision
- Vision and Mission are statements used to drive the companies and enterprises strategic choices
- Mission and Vision are the synthesis of the company reason of existing, and they are the North star for planning the future.
- In short: The mission is the “what” and the “how,” and the vision is the “why.”
We choose to go to the moon
We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things,
- not because they are easy, but because they are hard,
- because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills,
- because that challenge is
- one that we are willing to accept,
- one we are unwilling to postpone, and
- one which we intend to win,
- and the others, too.
John F. Kennedy, September 12, 1962
Vision
The Vision of an enterprise identifies the idea of the entrepreneur, his dream and what the enterprise wants to become in the future.
Mission
- The Mission represents the claim of the intents of the enterprise.
- It defines how the enterprise aims to reach its goals day by day.
Temporal window
- Those 2 concepts are strictly linked together
The first deals with the long-term horizon goals and has to do with the dream of the enterprise, the second instead, is more focused on the present temporal horizon and on the more practical aspects of the business activity.
Define a vision
- An inspiring Vision should include the long-terms objectives, it has to highlight the values and the ideals of the business
- An effective vision should be clearly defined and shared between all the levels of the organization.
- The Vision should indicate
- The sector in which the enterprise operates
- The realistic future objectives
- A time window in which the enterprise wants to reach its goals
- The values of the enterprise
- The idea of the future scenario.
Define the mission
- The Mission refers to the present of the Enterprise, it has therefore to establish the strategy to reach the goals
- When the founder of an enterprise writes the mission, he claims how he will operate and for whom.
- It is important to indicate in the mission its target and the reason of its existence.
- When the entrepreneur writes his mission, he has to answer these questions
- For which reason the enterprise is on the market?
- Who are its customers?
- Which are the distinctive characteristics of the enterprise?
- Which is the "personality" of the enterprise?
- Which are the concrete short time objectives of the enterprise?
- What are the need that the enterprise wants to satisfy?
Key elements of the mission
- The history of the enterprise
- The managerial preferences of the enterprise
- The resources of the enterprise
The mission objective must be "Smart"
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time Based
- The Mission doesn't have to be unique
- Beyond the Corporate Mission, the enterprise can find an ulterior mission for each product, department or activity.
- The mission is not eternal, it can change over the years.
Examples
Disney
- Vision
To Make people happy
- Mission
To be the biggest entertainment company in the world, maintain the market share through the innovation and the creation of new experiences of entertainment
Tesla
- Vision
To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy
- Mission
To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles
Nike
- Vision
Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world
- If you have a body, you are an athlete.
- Mission
Create groundbreaking sports innovations, make our products sustainably, build a creative and diverse global team, and make a positive impact in communities where we live and work
Warby Parker
- Vision
- We believe that buying glasses should be easy and fun. It should leave you happy and good-looking, with money in your pocket. We also believe that everyone has the right to see
- Mission
- Warby Parker was founded with a rebellious spirit and a lofty objective: To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, while leading the way for socially conscious businesses