Every organization is born with a purpose: there is always a reason that shapes the initial foundations on which it is built. Thus, the mission of the company emerges as an important element of strategic planning.
Defining the mission, along with the vision and values, are three crucial elements that every company must consider. Below, we will present the differences between each of them and why it is important to define them.
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Through the mission, the fundamental reason for the organization is made evident, and based on it, the formulation of objectives that will serve as a reference will be established.
When formulating the mission in writing, it should address three questions: Who are we? What do we do? Why do we do it?
Other triggering questions to consider are: Who is the target audience? How do we differentiate ourselves from the competition?
Organizations must have a clear understanding of their mission as it establishes their identity and makes it enduring over time, preserving their essence. Therefore, the mission is the raison d'être of the organization—why it exists and what contribution it makes to society.
The definition of the mission always goes hand in hand with the vision, although they are not the same. Both concepts articulate the overall development of the organization and constitute its core.
For example, Google states that its mission is to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." In that concise sentence, the essence of the technological giant as the largest search engine on the planet is summarized.
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The vision of an organization is defined as the future perspective it aims for, where it wants to go, and what it aspires to become. It is an ambitious objective from which general and specific goals derive.
Defining the vision allows for a clear path to follow in order to achieve the proposed goals. Therefore, it answers questions such as: Where are we heading? What do we want to achieve? Where do we want to be in the future? How will we accomplish it?
When defining the vision, it is important to be concise yet consistent. While the mission is about a present objective, being immediate, precise, and specific, the vision contains a global outlook that encompasses long-term aspirations.
The function of the vision is to guide and motivate the company to carry out daily work to achieve what has been proposed.
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Both the mission and vision must be grounded in the company's values, which are defined as the set of ethical and professional principles that govern the entire team, taken as precepts to follow in each action.
Values cut across each department, enduring over time, and every member of the organization must incorporate and identify with them in order to operate under a unified organizational culture.
It could be said that values represent the foundational criteria of the organization; they reflect the beliefs and behaviors that are expected. Most values taken into account are related to excellence, quality, commitment, innovation, responsibility, and passion.
Values establish an internal culture that allows members to be part of a functional ecosystem, in conjunction with the mission and vision, thus guaranteeing the organization's distinct personality.
These three concepts allow us to define the structure and objectives of an organization, delimit its functionality in society, and determine how it acts in decision-making. Together, they form the pillars on which the company is built.
Mission, vision, and values constitute the backbone that enables the organization to function, so without their establishment, the basic tools for growth would be lacking.
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With their definition, leaders in each department will have a common path to follow, and their level of commitment to what has been proposed will be identified. Additionally, they serve as a reference when the human resources department recruits new employees.
All members of the organization must be aware of the mission, vision, and values in order to work towards their objectives. This establishes the core from which strategies, actions, and strategic plans will be developed. Communication of these elements is crucial, as they should be shared and transmitted so that all employees work in the same direction.
The mission, vision, and values generate a sense of belonging and identification, leading to motivated and joyful employees who share a unified perspective.