by Abigail Harmon

There are many reasons to ensure your mission and vision are still relevant and supported within your organization. Here are a few:

• You are about to start a strategic planning process;
• You have had a major change in staff or board leadership;
• You are considering a capital campaign;
• You want to provide the organization with shared focus;
• You have founders’ syndrome;
• You are revamping your annual fund;
• You are about to work with a consultant for a feasibility study;
• ________________________.

We work with many organizations to help them work through the creation of new mission and vision statements. And, like so many things in life, the new documents are only as good as what you do with them. If you have the documents, now what?

• Provide it to everyone involved in the organization;
• Make sure that the staff and board can all articulate the mission statement verbatim and are able to paraphrase accurately the vision statement, with believable passion;
• Each new initiative should be questioned as to whether or not it is in concert with your mission and gets you closer to the vision;
• Each committee should consider what they can do to help further the new mission and vision;
• New budgeting and the allocation of resources should be considered with the mission and vision in mind; and
• Staff should determine their own priorities based on the mission and vision.

In other words, the mission and vision statements should be the driving forces for your organization. Use them well, employ them wisely but most of all proudly broadcast them for all to see and hear.

Abigail Harmon is Creative Director, Mersky, Jaffe & Associates.