Now that we have been busy for a month with the new year and the first enthusiastic intentions have already been forgotten, it is a good time to really think about what you want to achieve this year. 

Of course there are diehards who really remember and implement their intentions, but for most the reality will be that the novelty of 2017 is already a bit off. It is precisely for this reason that this is the perfect time to set the course for success and set goals for yourself and your organization. My colleague Marco previously wrote one blog about formulating good KPIs. His first step was to formulate a good mission and vision, but how do you formulate a good mission and vision? And how do you ensure that it is actually worn?

"Organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful" Google, 2017

For years, dit Google's mission and, most importantly, it is still relevant and up-to-date. Personally, I think that the value of a good mission is underestimated. People are motivated if they want to achieve a goal. That goal can come from you (intrinsically), but can also be delivered (extrinsically). Extrinsic motivation is often seen as the distribution of bonuses, or, in the negative context, punishment for poor performance. However, extrinsic motivation can also lead to intrinsic motivation by contributing to a goal that people feel connected to and what they want to do their best for. This so-called goal can be summarized in the mission and vision of an organization. A mission indicates what you do as a company, a vision indicates where you want to go. For example, Google's mission clearly shows what their core business is; organizing and making information available and usable worldwide. Their vision follows logically from their mission, namely;

"To provide access to the world's information in one click." Google, 2017

This reflects a goal, a point on the horizon that the company is striving for. At Google, the vision further elaborates on the mission. In other words, the mission is the main strategy to achieve the vision. This sounds fairly simple, however, it turns out to be quite difficult in practice to formulate a good mission and vision. Many missions and visions are too long, are vague, or do not inspire. A good example of a vague and meaningless vision is from Hilton hotels; "To fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality". I can not imagine that employees can derive from this what the Hilton goal is and what they can do to contribute to it. Too long visions are also common, although companies are becoming increasingly aware of this. Volvo has recently adapted its mission from a 45-story boring story to the simple one "Driving prosperity through transport solutions". The core of a mission and vision should be formulated so that all employees can find themselves in it, get inspired and motivated by it. Only then will all the noses come in the same direction and everyone will work towards the same goal. For this reason, it is essential to involve employees from all layers of the organization in making a mission and vision.

Once the mission and vision have been formulated, it is essential to communicate them consistently and regularly. Hang the mission on the wall and start your presentations with your vision, or 'walk the talk'. Extend your mission and vision by also aligning your decisions with it. Only in this way do these cries really get value.

Now I challenge you!

Think critically about your own organization. Do you have a clear mission and vision? Are all decisions made logical if you think about the mission and vision? Can anyone in the organization find themselves in these mindsets? Do you have doubts about a yes to one or more of these questions? Then take a look at the enclosed checklist to find out how good your mission and vision really is. With this check you get clear for yourself if your mission and vision add value, or is only beautiful on the website.

Do you want to draw up a (new) mission and vision? In the appendix I offer an extensive step-by-step plan to draw up a good and supported mission and vision!

Download the step-by-step plan below. Would you like to agree on your mission and vision and how you could improve it? Please feel free to contact us!

Renée van Poppel
Consultant Supply Value
06 25 16 86 47 or r.poppel@supplyvalue.nl