Company Mission and Vision – “I’m the CEO, not my speciality, it’s just “marketing blurb” right?

Ambitious, driven recruitment business leaders tell us about their frustrations around growth, how fed up they are with headcount turnover, and seeing their exit dream drifting away.

Yet, when asking these same leaders , who’s in charge of your company mission and vision - “Marketing” , “Me, when I have time”, or, “oh, that reminds me..” – are typical responses we hear.

And yet, they acknowledge there is an intrinsic link with the frustrations they’ve shared and their attachment , or lack of, to their company vision.

So why is it , time and time again, we see the CEO’s input into the creation, implementation and review of their company vision is either overlooked, delegated or forgotten about all together?

• Don’t know where to start?
• Not certain what a company mission statement or company vision actually is – and the differences
• Attempts in the past were thwarted with lack of buy-in and disagreements?
• Came up with the company vision when first started the company, so what’s the point in reinventing the wheel?

Let’s tackle where to start.

It starts, with you. You create the vision.

Now, you may have your business partners, co-directors and so on play a role in helping create the company vision, but it’s you the leader. You’re the one that drives it.

As a Leader, it’s the personal vision that drives our business focus

When we’ve identified what we personally want, where we want to be and by when, only then can we identify what and where we want our company to be in the future.

Once we have the company vision, then

• You can plan the goals and KPI’s
• How you’re going to get measured
• Set all the actions that are going to take place in order for you to hit that personal and professional vision and goals.
• Continually review all the actions that are going to take place in order for you to hit that personal and professional vision and goals.

Still think this is Marketing?

Building your Company Vision and Company Mission

If I asked you to show me or talk about your Company Vision statement and your Company Mission statement would you…

1. Tell me to speak to marketing?
2. Reach for your business plan and click on a spreadsheet?
3. Give me a really quizzical look, offer me another coffee and try to change the subject?

Firstly, lets rule out Marketing needing to join our conversation. As a Leader, it’s your Personal vision of where you want to be and by when. Only then can you identify your Company vision of what and where you want your company to be in the future.

Secondly, lets rule out the spreadsheet. As a Leader, it’s your passion of what you want to do, your aims, your values, your beliefs that will drive the business forward. I know tech is getting more and more advanced but I doubt a spreadsheet is a good substitute for talking me through that.

And as for the quizzical look – its interesting to note not only do a lot of leaders not know what a vision statement is, they also don’t know the difference between  Company Vision and Company Mission statements.

A Company Vision statement is designed to be aspirational and inspirational.

• It’s where you want to be. It’s what you want to do.
• It’s not the “how”. It’s the “what” you look like down the road.
• Its your aims, your ambitions, your objectives

A Company Mission statement is the “how”  we’re going to achieve this Company Vision and the steps involved of achieving our vision for the future.

• How are we going to get there?
• How are we going to achieve the vision?
• It’s your aims, your ambitions, your objectives

So when thinking about this start with your Personal Vision, then Company Vision and then from there it leads through to the Company Mission.

Getting SMARTER about your Company Vision and Company Mission

Intelligent, driven leaders of recruitment businesses put off compiling their Company Vision and Company Mission statement or seldom revisit it.  Do you see the irony in that?

These entrepreneurs , who put everything on the line when setting up their business, may as well say that their Company Vision statement is ‘ What will be, will be’ and their Company Mission is “Always hoping for the best”

The irony is that compiling Company Vision and Company Mission statement should be an exciting exercise for these business leaders – and not come anywhere close to feeling that it’s “a task”. 

Building the vision statement is business critical. We are identifying with laser sharp focus

• What and where you want your business to be in the future
• Who needs your organization
• How your values and beliefs will fulfil your mission and vision.

Building the organisational mission is so important when we’re building that vision

• We can explain to our ourselves but also to our employees where is the organisation going,  our vision
• Most employees want to know what that organisational vision is, and where they fit into it.

Seven golden rules for building your SMARTER  Company Vision

1. You set the vision from the top down, making sure divisional and individual goals feed into it
2. It is future tense – what do you want it to look like, to become and the future to be?
3. The vision you are creating is akin to painting that picture for people
4. It’s aligned with a very clear and specific date and destination
5. It’s measurable –track results of goals and KPI’s. Set all the actions that are going to take place in order for us to hit that personal and professional vision and goals.
6. You can communicate it, and explain it. Make sure everybody understands what it is, so they feel they are, operating in a way that will help you achieve that business vision
7. Companies are made up of individuals. Individuals make departments. Departments make organisations . Company vision is built top down and supported bottom up.

S stands for Specific – make sure that vision is as specific as possible.

M is Measurable -  the results must be measurable in order for them to be achieved

A is for Attainable – too much of a stretch is not realistic. But on the other hand, if it’s too small, you’re actually cutting yourself and the organisation short.

R is Relevant - we want to make sure that the vision is laser focused and relevant

T is Timebound – we have to make sure that we have very specific time dates associated with each of these.

The last two are Enjoyable and Rewarding.