Strategic Christian

I don’t know which comes first, mission or vision. I do know that both are essential direction-setting statements for any organization. Values go right along with them.

Technorati Tags: Balanced Scorecard, Strategic Planning

Mission, unlike vision, is about what the organization will do. A mission statement is a concise enunciation of the major activities your organization will carry out, for whom. Niven says (page 102):

A mission statement defines the core purpose of the organization its raison d’etre–that is, why it exists. The mission also reflects employees’ reasons for engaging in the company’s work.

For nonprofit organizations,

The mission isn’t just window dressing; in fact, the very success of public and nonprofit enterprises is often dependent, at least in part, on the development of a crystallizing mission. Researchers from the Independent Sector found that, “a clear, agreed-upon mission statement is one of the four primary characteristics of successful nonprofit organizations.”

And on page 103:

You never really fulfill your mission. It acts as a beacon for your work, constantly pursued but never quite reached. Consider your mission to be the compass by which you guide your organization. And just as a compass can lead you to safety when you’re lost in unfamiliar terrain, a powerful mission can serve as your guide in times of organizational uncertainty.

Effective mission statements:

• Are simple and clear
• But not too simple
• Inspire change
• Are long-term in nature
• Are easy to understand and communicate

Six questions that will help in developing a mission statement:

• Who are we?
• What basic social or political [or spiritual] needs do we exist to meet?
• How do we recognize, anticipate, and respond to these problems or needs?
• How should we respond to our key stakeholders?
• What is our guiding philosophy and culture?
• What makes us distinctive or unique?

Values

The final set of directional statements crucial to planning are values. These are brief descriptions of the way we do things here. They have an ethical cast to them; and Christian organizations will certainly want to consider the basic laws of God–the two Great Commandments, the Ten Commandments, and so on–among their values. But depending on the nature of the organization and its purpose, some values may be emphasized more than others: academic quality in one place, care for the poor in another, winning and building new believers in another.

The key point to remember about values is that they describe “how we operate, no matter what.” Regardless of our financial position, regardless of who is leading us, regardless of what progress we may or may not be making, this is how we will operate.

Oh, and one more thing: you can’t fool your members or employees on this. Values really do come from the top, and not just in words–though articulating them certainly helps.

Part of the Strategic Planning for Ministries series

Part of the series on Balanced Scorecard Step-by-Step for Government and Nonprofit Agencies by Paul R. Niven. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2003. (Amazon)

Posted by Tom Gilson under Strategy |