Writing a vision and mission statement is essential for small business owners.
It focuses on aligning company goals and building a comprehensive company culture. However, it can be confusing to understand which is which.
Today, we look at the differences and similarities between a mission and vision statement to help create a shared purpose and clear direction for your entire team.
What is a Mission Statement?
A mission statement defines your company’s focus, aims, and purpose.
It does not go into detail but provides a brief, concise description that defines your objectives. Your mission statement should be clear enough that everyone who reads it understands what you do, what you achieve, and how you achieve it. Here are a few examples of corporate mission statements by recognized brands:
- Google: Our mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
- Apple: Bringing the best user experience to its customers through innovative hardware, software, and services.
- Starbucks: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.
As you can see, each mission states what the company does and how they do it, with a hint at who its customers are. They create a framework that allows people to understand what they do and remains the driving force that all decisions and strategies must support.
What is a Vision Statement?
A vision statement looks at your company’s aspirations.
It tells people what direction you want your company to go, with a forward-thinking statement based on what you want to accomplish. It is more about hopes and dreams, the problems you hope to solve for the world or your customers, and how you wish to influence change. Here are the vision statements for the same corporations above:
- Google: To provide access to the world’s information in one click.
- Apple: To make the best products on earth and to leave the world better than we found it.
- Starbucks: To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining our uncompromising principles while we grow.
As you can see, vision statements are focused on the future, with the aspiration to improve continuously. The visions are more transcendent, establishing the ideal position of the brand in the world.Google: Our mission is to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
- Apple: Bringing the best user experience to its customers through innovative hardware, software, and services.
- Starbucks: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.
As you can see, each mission states what the company does and how they do it, with a hint at who its customers are. They create a framework that allows people to understand what they do and remains the driving force that all decisions and strategies must support.
Vision and Mission Statements Difference
Although your vision and mission statements need to be interwoven, one is about today, while the other is about tomorrow.
The mission statement defines your purpose in your day-to-day work, while your vision statement is about the ideal version of your business down the road. Simply put, your mission statement helps fulfill your vision.
Vision and Mission Statements Similarities
The mission statement tells everyone what you do and the benefits your company offers.
It provides your customers, prospects, and employees with a basic description that helps them understand you. For your leaders and team, your mission helps align your decisions with your objective. Your vision does the same thing with an emphasis on improving everything. Both statements should always be the driving force for decisions and strategies that apply to everything you do, from hiring to marketing and processes to product and service development.
You can create a powerful mission and vision statement for your small business by considering what you stand for, what you offer, and where you want to focus. Your mission will be clear, and your aspirations will drive you forward.
About Focus HR, Inc.
Focus HR, Inc. uncomplicates the people side of business by providing small business owners with outsourced HR, project HR, and Leadership Coaching. For more information, please contact us today! If you liked this post, please subscribe to our blog. You can opt out at any time. To learn more about FocusHR and for updates, please like our Facebook page and follow us on LinkedIn.