Whether it is a large Fortune 500 company or a beginning-stage startup, companies of all shapes and sizes around the world have an established mission and a vision statement that help them define what they do and where they want to go. The idea of both statements provides those from the outside with a “peek” into an organization and an idea of where a company envisions itself today and where it envisions itself tomorrow (the future). It also provides explicit direction to those employed at the company for what is expected of them on an annual basis (the mission) and where the company is headed (the vision).
So, if we were to think of ourselves as an established company, why not create a mission and a vision statement for ourselves? Defining your own statements will not only provide you with specific direction on how to approach each and every one of your workdays (the mission), but it will also provide you with an idea of who or what you want to become (the vision). This will help you define and establish a formal “brand” for yourself and for others to see so that everyone understands who and what you are and where you see yourself going.
Mission Statement For Your Career
According to Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm, a mission statement “defines the company’s business, its objectives and its approach to reach those objectives.” So, with this in mind, let’s start to break down this statement into smaller pieces and begin to connect the dots between who you are as a business executive and this definition.
A mission statement “defines the company’s business.” This can easily be attributed to your functional area of expertise. What are you good at? Is your subject matter expertise in finance, marketing, biotechnology or healthcare administration? Next, choose your objective. What is it that you set yourself out to accomplish every day at work (not in the future…this comes later)? And lastly, what is your approach to reaching those objectives? For example, here is a mission statement that can be used for an individual in healthcare administration:
“I am a healthcare administration executive (your “company”) who strives to create programs and initiatives (your objective) that result in a positive experience for our patients and their families. This will be accomplished by continuous interaction with our patients and their families, understanding their needs and learning from them what a ‘best in class’ healthcare experience should feel like (your approach).”
You want this statement to define your purpose in short, written form. It is important that this statement establishes a framework that your personal goals can be formulated from.
Vision Statement For Your Career
Referencing the Bain & Company definition again, a vision statement describes “the desired future position of the company.” In summary…where does the company wish to go or what does it aspire to be? This statement serves as a company’s high-level direction that is specific in nature but broad enough to help develop strategic initiatives for getting there.
Again, let’s relate this back to you (the “company”). Where do you see yourself going and what do you aspire to be? If you think about this even harder, look at the overall impact this statement could have on the success of your career. It is extremely important to have a “vision” for where you want your career to end up. Whether it is the next CEO of a Fortune 500 company or middle manager of a mid-sized company, regardless of where you want to go, it is important to at least have a “mission” of where you want to end up so that you have something to strive for each and every day you wake up. Continuing with my previous example of a healthcare administration executive, here is an example of a vision statement for this person:
“As a healthcare administration executive, I will continue to take on increased levels of responsibility throughout my career with the goal of becoming a chief executive officer of a major metropolitan hospital.”
Once again, this statement is short and provides a specific “end goal” along with direction for how the person plans to get there.
What to Keep in Mind
When developing your individual mission and vision statements as well as related objectives and approach, it is important to ensure that they are measureable, actionable and achievable. It is also encouraged to share your statements with your mentors, spouse, or close peers to obtain their feedback and buy-in. If they know who you are and where you want to go, they could very well help you get there. Make sure these statements live on paper and not only in your head. The activity of “seeing” these statements physically will help serve as a reminder and help you stay on track.
References
https://www.bain.com/publications/articles/management-tools-mission-and-vision-statements.aspx