Page 33 - MS Perspectives 2014 YIR

The Problem with “Mission, Vision, Values”

By Yvonne Randle, Ph.D.
Executive Vice President
Management Systems

Most company leaders and managers have heard and many actually use the
concepts of “Mission, Vision, and Values” in developing their company’s strategic
plans. In fact, examples of Missions and Visions from well-known companies like
Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, Chevron, Gap, and many, many more can be found through a
brief Internet Search. It is clear that these concepts have, in a sense, become
“generally accepted,” but what is their real value to a company from a strategic
planning perspective?

The answer to this question is, in our opinion, “It all depends.” Given some of the
difficulties inherent in using these concepts, we also suggest that there is a more
powerful approach to creating a strong strategic planning foundation as we will
discuss below.

What are Mission, Vision, and Values?

I was recently told by one of my clients that, “Everyone knows what Mission, Vision,
and Values are,” a quick search of the Internet reveals that this is clearly not the
case – particularly when one examines the example Missions and Visions of actual
companies presented on various websites. In some cases, Mission statements
identify the company’s purpose; in other cases, they define what the company
wants to achieve. Vision statements sometimes contain information about what the
company wants to achieve – e.g., “become #1 in…” In other cases, they describe
more about what the company does for its customers. “Values” is, perhaps, the
most consistently used term, with the focus being on identifying and defining
elements of the company’s culture. The result is a semantic jumble of constructs.

When terms are not clearly defined or consistently used, the power of the concept
is significantly reduced. Simply put, those on the planning team (typically senior
managers) don’t know what they are supposed to be developing or even why it is
important in the context of their strategic plan. This can lead to wasted time and
confusion as they struggle to create something that they have no clear
understanding of.

What is the Benefit of Creating Mission, Vision and Values?

The answer to this question seems unclear. While “everyone knows” that you need
“Mission, Vision, and Values” in a strategic plan, most people cannot explain WHY
these statements are needed and what they help you do. When I asked the leader
of a company that had Mission, Vision, and Values how these concepts were used in
the strategic planning process, the reply was (and I’m somewhat paraphrasing),

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