Mission and Vision Statements...

Last week’s discussion revolved around “Mission and Vision.” Contrary to what most people think, a mission is something that is never finished. It is a timeless value. A mission statement is a brief description of a company’s fundamental purpose. A good mission statement should answer the question “Why do we exist?” It focuses on the company’s present state and acts as the compass that drives decision making. It can also act as a very strong motivational statement. It guides the employees in making critical decisions that affect the direction of the company. Mission statements remind the company of their ethics and values. A good mission statement acts as a moral compass, and is the center of being for an organization.  It articulates to the customers what is of value to the organization.  The mission statement should explain why the vision statement is what it is. The aspirations of the company should show why the company even exists. We discussed the mission statements of a few different airline companies. Southwest Airlines mission statement is “Dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.” This mission statement does an adequate job of describing the company’s driving force and intentions. The company does demonstrate all of these characteristics. This mission statement is unique for an airline. The mission statement of Delta Airlines is “We—Delta's employees, customers, and community partners together form a force for positive local and global change, dedicated to bettering standards of living and the environment where we and our customers live and work.” I think that this mission statement has much room for improvement. I would have never guessed that this was the mission statement of an airline before the name of the company was disclosed to me. U.S. Airways mission statement is “Customer service has always been a priority at US Airways, and we are committed to making every flight count for our valued customers. Our promise to you: The safety and satisfaction of our customers is a top priority for our airline.” They have held true to this mission statement so far, and while it is not the most comfortable way to fly, I have never made second thoughts about their concern for safety. These are just a couple examples of mission statements. They are concise and should effectively describe the ongoing values of the company. The difference between a mission statement and a vision statement is that the mission statement deals with the present, while the vision statement deals with the future. A company should be able to draw inspiration from its vision statement. It answers the question “Where do we want to go?” Instead of articulating what you want to do in the present, you are articulating what you want to happen in the future. A vision statement paints a picture of the dream of an organization. Like mission statements, vision statement have a huge impact on decision making and the allocating of resources.