Mission describes what your organisation does and why it exists today. Vision describes the future you’re working towards. Values define the principles that guide how you operate. Together they form the character of the organisation and give people a shared sense of purpose.
They give your brand a foundation of genuine meaning. Marketing built on a clearly articulated purpose and values is more coherent, more consistent and more convincing than marketing built purely on product features or competitive claims.
Many organisations try to, but the process benefits enormously from external facilitation. It surfaces genuine differences in how leadership views the organisation and creates a more considered, more durable outcome than an internal drafting exercise typically produces.
Through rigorous questioning and an honest examination of what actually differentiates the organisation from others who might use the same language. Generic statements are usually a sign that the thinking hasn’t been pushed far enough.
Most organisations complete this work in two to four weeks, including a facilitated workshop with key stakeholders and iterations on draft statements. Larger or more complex organisations may take longer.
That’s actually a valuable starting point. A good facilitation process surfaces those differences, works through them and arrives at statements that reflect the honest consensus of the leadership team rather than the preferences of one individual.
They inform brand guidelines and tone of voice, underpin internal communications and culture programmes, shape recruitment and onboarding materials, and provide the foundation for external brand and marketing activity.
Not necessarily. Mission and vision are often public, but how and where they’re used depends on your brand strategy. Values may be used primarily internally. What matters most is that the statements are lived, not just displayed.
Yes. Revisiting mission, vision and values during periods of significant change — a leadership transition, a strategic pivot, a merger — is both appropriate and valuable. The process of revisiting them can be as useful as the original definition.
This is a common and important challenge. Values that aren’t lived become a liability rather than an asset. Part of the process involves testing proposed values against the reality of how the business behaves and identifying gaps that need to be addressed.