Vision and Mission Statements. Your Vision is your why – your aspirations – it charts the way forward. Above all, it’s what you envision the future to look like, even if you don’t know when it will happen. Your Mission statement has a goal therefore, it is the how and the what you do. This is because it is current and implies an immediate impact or is time bound.

If your Mission Statement is for an organisation, it will have to be owned by everyone from CEO through to the entire workforce, and from stakeholders to customers. If it isn’t clear, nobody will buy into it.

Examples of mission statements

What do you make of these examples? 

Microsoft’s mission statement is “to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more.”

“Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organisation, which uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems, and to force the solutions which are essential to a green and peaceful future.”

TESLA’s mission is broad and bold
Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.

Uber’s is more specific
“Uber is evolving the way the world moves. By seamlessly connecting riders to drivers through our apps, we make cities more accessible, opening up more possibilities for riders and more business for drivers.”

I am not championing any of these brands or implying they have perfect Mission Statements. I would however, be interested in your opinion.

As I’ve said, in the event that your mission statement is for an organisation, it will have to inspire customers, stakeholders and employees. However, if you are a solopreneur, your mission statement will want to have all the same elements, because vitally it tells the world exactly what you, the person, is about.

Purpose

In addition, when combined with your Vision, which is or should be what drives you, you are beginning to articulate your purpose.

Even if you don’t already have perfect clarity about your purpose, it doesn’t matter, because this process will take you a step closer. 

I’ll be talking more about purpose next time. In the meantime, please share examples of your mission statements.