Speaking of Business: Mission, vision statements set direction

Ensuring organizational commitment

Before getting too energized about the future, owners and the staff have to be dedicated to the strategic-positioning process. The leaders of the organization must be committed and fully aware of the resources needed to embark on the process. As this isn’t a one-time event, owners should be prepared to participate in annual meetings that are devoted to revisiting and revising the strategic statements. Without the commitment of key leaders, the process is doomed.

Preparing to plan

Preparing to plan is the same process but on a larger scale. Organizations must look beyond their company and identify trends in the competing sectors.

One of the most frequently used procedures for identifying trends is a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis. Data should include identification of Strengths and Weaknesses from the internal environment (staff resources, infrastructure, etc.) and Opportunities and Threats from the external environment (funding, economy, corporate spending). In this stage, reviewing past planning documents, program statistics, and annual reports can also be helpful.

Developing strategic statements

Strategic statements include articulating values and an organizational philosophy, as well as developing a vision and mission statement. Values, beliefs and philosophy guide decision-making in an organization. Many organizations do not make a distinction between vision and mission. In other words, the organization does not envision any change.

A vision statement is designed to articulate the preferred future of an organization, and is critical in strategic positioning and requires reflection and discussion to refine.

The mission statement explains why the organization exists. It should state the core purpose of the organization, as well as the target clients and the unique attributes of the organization.

Developing operational plans

Operational planning is familiar to most organizations. The operational plan includes establishing goals, objectives and action steps. Goals help to bridge the gap between the present and the future. Often, the goals are derived from the themes that are articulated in the “preparing-to-plan” stage.

Objectives outline the end result and are stated in measurable terms. Objectives include specific action steps that identify when the objective will be completed and who is responsible for implementation. The action plan is the tool that ensures movement toward the stated goals of the organization.

Implementation and evaluation

Moving the plan from paper to reality is often where strategic positioning falls short. This is where the importance of the first step — gaining commitment — is reinforced. A monitoring tool must be put in place to ensure that the actions are being carried out.

Operational plans can often be integrated into the staff performance objectives. Board members can use the operational plan to guide the work of committees. Monthly or quarterly reports regarding targets are essential in implementing the strategy.

Celebration

The final step is to celebrate success. When goals are reached, it’s time to congratulate those involved and ensure that the success is communicated to the media and stakeholders.

on Facebook on LinkedIn