Why You Need A Vision Statement and the 6 Elements it Should Contain

When was the last time you looked at your business vision statement? Do you have a vision statement? It’s different than a mission statement in a basic way: your mission statement states what your business does. Your vision statement is more of a why and how statement.

The good news is that your vision statement should be broad and grand. It’s aspirational and written in the present tense. Your vision statement should include elements of the following:

·      Company core values

·      Company culture

·      It should set priorities

·      It should paint a picture

·      It should inspire your employees

·      And it can be more of a passion statement than a purpose statement

Company leaders should embody the vision of the company. It’s an important branding strategy and your vision should be reflected in all aspects of your company and embraced by everyone in the company. That last point is very important. Simon Sinek states it best:

“Customers will never love a company until the employees love it first.”

Here are some great examples of great Vision Statements:

· Feeding America: “A hunger-free America.”

· IKEA: “Our vision is to create a better every-day life for many people.”

· Nike: “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world. (*If you have a body, you are an athlete.)”

· World Wildlife Fund: “We seek to save a planet, a world of life. Reconciling the needs of human beings and the needs of others that share the Earth…”

· Goodwill: “Every person has the opportunity to achieve his/her fullest potential and participate in and contribute to all aspects of life.”

· UPS: “Our goal is to synchronize the world of commerce by developing business solutions that create value and competitive advantages for our customers.”

Inspired? Make this a team effort. Set aside some time with your employees to dream big. Including them will foster buy-in and as we all know, buy-in is key to success.  

Here is a Pinterest Board I created that I will keep adding to - it's all about Vision Statements for Business. And, if you're looking for a worksheet for your mindmapping session, check this one out, here.