Mission/Vision Statements
Mission and Vision Statements: Setting and Holding the Course
Building for the Future: A Farm Manager’s Workshop
Sterling, CO February 26th, 2008
Objectives
• Understand the Role of A Mission Statement in Strategic Management. • B i to D Begin t Develop A Mission Statement for l Mi i St t tf Your Farm Business.
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What is our perspective?
“If it ain’t broke... Don’t fix it.”
“If it ain’t broke... You haven’t looked hard enough. Fix it anyway!”
Tom Peters
Thriving on Chaos
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Building for the Future: A Farm Manager’s Workshop
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Mission/Vision Statements
Steps in Strategic Planning
• • • • • • • Defining the Mission of the Business Formulating Business Goals Survey the Business Environment Assess Business Resources Identify/Select Strategies Implementation Measure Progress
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Strategic Direction
Vision and Mission Statement
Vision/Mission Statements
• Statements that explain who we are
• Type of organization • Products/services • Needs we fill
• Statements that explain our direction, our purpose, our reason for being
• What difference do we make?
• Statements that explain what makes us unique
• Values • People • Combination of products and services
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Building for the Future: A Farm Manager’s Workshop
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Mission/Vision Statements
Examples Strength? Weakness?
Beck's Superior Hybrids
We are farmers, just like you. The big difference is why we farm. We are scientists. Specializing in all aspects of agronomics We are family With over 60 years agronomics. family. experience, we know that in order to offer the best, you have to be the best. Here at Beck's, our team knows that sometimes good just isn't good enough. No company ever got to be great by just being good. They became great only after going that extra mile.
Mission/Vision Statement
A statement that clearly defines the firm’s “reason” for being in business
• Should significantly stretch the resources and capabilities of the farm • Should inspire people in the organization to achieve things they never thought possible • Should unite people in the organization toward the pursuit of one common goal
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Examples
Quality Pork Farms
Our mission is to own and operate a profitable, efficiently managed swine farm that produces wholesome pork products to be marketed worldwide. We strive to be a dynamic enterprise, taking advantage of new technologies and growth opportunities as the resources become available. We will produce pork with care and concern for the environment and local community. Employees shall strive together to create healthy working conditions, and opportunities for financial, emotional, and spiritual growth.
Building for the Future: A Farm Manager’s Workshop
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Mission/Vision Statements
Components of a Vision Statement
Recognition of Service to Stakeholders
• Owners/Creditors • Employees • Customers
Core Ideology C Id l
• Core Values - timeless guiding principles • Core Purpose - reason for being
Envisioned Future
• Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAG) a clearly articulated goal • Vivid Description - a graphic description of what success and the future will be like.
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Examples of Mission Statements Ben & Jerry’s
Product: To make, distribute, and sell the finest quality all natural ice cream and related products in a wide variety of innovative flavors made from Vermont dairy products. Economic: To operate the Company on a sound financial basis of profitable growth, increasing value for our shareholders and creating career opportunities and financial rewards for our employees. Social: To operate the Company in a way that actively recognizes the central role that business plays in the structure of society by initiating innovative ways to improve the quality of life of a broad community: local, national, and international.
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Assignment
• Spend some time thinking about the vision and mission of your business. • The exercises have a set of questions that will help frame your thinking. • Begin writing things down today, you can revise and work on it more later. • Developing vision and mission statements are not immediate occurrences they take time, reflection and practice. • We’ll present mission statements to one another at the next meeting.
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Building for the Future: A Farm Manager’s Workshop
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