HANDOUT #5
Vision Statement Guidelines
A vision statement is a vivid idealized description of a desired outcome that inspires, energizes and helps you create a mental picture of your target. It could be a vision of a part of your life, or the outcome of a project or goal. The best vision statements for result areas describe outcomes that are five to ten years away, although some look even further out. For projects and goals, the vision statement should focus on the desired outcome of the project/goal at its completion date. Here are some guidelines for writing compelling and powerful vision statements.
Summarize Your Vision in a Powerful Phrase
If possible, try to summarize your vision using a powerful phrase in the first paragraph of your vision statement. Capturing the essence of your vision using a simple memorable phrase can greatly enhance the effectiveness of your vision statement. This phrase will serve as a trigger to the rest of the vision in the mind of everyone that reads it. Take for instance Microsoft's vision of "A personal computer in every home running Microsoft software." This simple yet very powerful phrase can be used throughout the organization (hallways, internal web pages, plaques, etc.) to remind everyone of the vision. If you are having trouble coming up with your summarizing phrase, try adding after you've written the rest of the vision statement.
Take as Much Space as You Need
Vision statements can be much longer than mission statements. The purpose is to create a mental picture charged with emotion that can serve to energize and inspire you and your team. Take as much space as you need to accomplish this goal. Vision statements are often confused with mission statements (what's the difference?), but they serve complementary purposes.
HANDOUT #5
Difference between Mission and Vision Statements
Vision statements describe your own unique vision of what an ideal experience in each of your life areas would be like. They tend to focus on the distant future looking forward five to ten years. They represent an ideal outcome. Mission statements are based on your current situation and what you need to focus on in the next one to three years to move you closer to your long-term vision. While vision statements are passive, focusing mostly what you want to experience, mission statements are active focusing on your actions, behaviors, habits and character. Mission and vision statements are complementary to each other. Vision statements show you an idealized description of your ultimate destination, while mission statements represent your chosen path to get you there.
Guiding Principles to Complement Your Mission Statement
Guiding principles represent your core beliefs, values, principles or ideals that guide you towards your mission/vision. Some people like to use a prioritized list of values with short descriptions of how they want to live each value through this area. Others prefer to use short quotes or maxims that represent an important principle. For example: A1. Succeed at Home First - My success at work matters little if I don't have a place to come home to This would be a useful guiding principle in the Home and Career life areas. Most people like to have three to five guiding principles for each of their life areas. You can use as many as you like, but don't go overboard or they start to lose significance. Like your mission statement, your guiding principles should represent the things you want to focus on over the next six months to a year. Be sure to update and re-rank them as part of your quarterly reviews.