In the blog from two weeks ago, we talked about which one business trends will be important this year. These business trends have made you think and rethink your strategy. You have already completely mapped out the strategy for the coming years: you know exactly what you are going to do to grow the company even further. Yet you have a slight doubt somewhere. Because what was it like again? You no longer know exactly what the vision and mission is and whether you are doing the right thing with your strategy. To start the year off right, we'll refresh your memory. In this blog we briefly explain what a vision, mission and strategy is.
What is a vision?
The term vision can be viewed from different angles. Many companies see the concept of vision as what you aim for as an organization. The organization's future dream is then described and it is explained what contribution they want to make to society. Another angle that is less common is from a communication standpoint. Crucq-Toffolo & Knitel (2013) describe a vision as follows: a certain attitude, view or motivation towards a product or service, people or the world. According to them, a vision comes from within an organization and with this you give direction to your organization. The approach we take in our Courses is the vision you are going for as a company or organization.
What is a mission?
Also the understanding mission can be explained using all kinds of approaches. The most common definition is that the mission is what you stand for. The raison d'être and purpose of an organization are then explained. A less common approach is to view the mission through a communications lens. Michels (2013) describes a mission, which goal the organization wants to achieve in the world and the market in which it operates. According to him, a mission consists of striving for ambitions for the future and the market in which the organization operates. In our training programs we start from the first definition: a mission is what you stand for as an organization.
What is a strategy?
A strategy explains how you will achieve the objectives. It is a plan with which you will achieve the objectives. With a strategy you make choices and you explain why you make these choices. To draw up a strategy, you first need to have a clear vision and mission. Once these have been formulated in concrete terms, you can get started with your strategy. There are different types of strategies such as an organizational strategy, marketing strategy or a communication strategy. A communication strategy is often derived from the organizational and marketing strategy. It is very important that you dare to make choices with a strategy and that you clearly justify why you make these choices. Would you like to learn more about these concepts of vision, mission and strategy? In this blog about strategy from vision to mission let's go into this in more detail.
Need help?
Do you want to be helped in real life with the development of your vision, mission and strategy? Our 80 trainers are ready to help you during one of our management training.
Sources
Crucq-Toffolo, G. & Knitel, S (2013). Concept thinking. From dormant to alive, basic concept development book. Amsterdam, BIS Publishers.Michels, W (2013). Communication strategy. Groningen, Noordhoff Publishers.
Leadership begins with self-knowledge
Effective leaders know their own strengths and weaknesses. They know when to steer and when to let go. This self-knowledge does not come automatically, but requires conscious reflection and a willingness to receive feedback. Regularly ask your team how they experience your leadership and take their input seriously.
A common mistake made by leaders is thinking that they must have the answer to everything. In reality, the best leaders are those who ask the right questions, give space to the expertise of their team members, and dare to admit when they do not know something. That is not weakness, but strength.
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