Mission vs Vision Statements - Common Pitfalls, Ideas, and Six Examples to Get You Started on Writing Your Own
- jjellema2
- Jul 27
- 7 min read
Updated: Aug 1
By Joe Jellema
Blogger and Senior Editor at Compel Consultants
Empty office space for rent. What went wrong? - Photo by Thomas Barwick Getty Images, academic use
Mission Statements can be like an empty office building - structures that may seem to exist without meaning or purpose.
Don't let your Mission Statement and your business become an empty room.
Seven Common Pitfalls When Statements Already Exist:
Employees and leadership don’t know the existing Mission Statement
The Mission Statement is long and confusing
The Mission Statement is posted on the wall but we never talk about it
Many can recite the Mission Statement verbatim but they don't actually know what it means
Employees actions are not aligned with the Mission Statement
Nobody believes in the Mission Statement
Mission Creep is starting to occur
Over the years and at different jobs, I've noticed that a vast majority of my coworkers do not, even remotely, seem to care about the organization's mission statement. Sure, they see it posted on the wall next to other posters of encouragement, but it’s never discussed or referred to. It just seems like more “corporate-speak” or like so many “buzzwords” that are drilled down into the masses. So... why should we care?
I care and so should you, because understanding the Mission Statement makes our jobs easier and we become more effective with how we are working together.
What is a Mission Statement Anyway?
and how is it different from a Vision Statement?
Vision vs Mission. They are closely linked but different. - Infographic from usemotion.com academic use
A Mission Statement communicates the reason an organization exists right now. It states what the business entity does, for whom and how it functions to achieve the common goals everyone in the organization is working toward.
A Mission Statement tends to be more specific and tangible when it focuses on impact through activities. Think of it as describing the
Purpose
Values
Goals
The team discuses goals and objectives of a new project and how it relates to their Mission - WIX Photo
The words we use do matter, but group understanding of the big picture matters as well. The end goal is that the our actions align with the Mission Statement.
Mission Creep
Mission Creep occurs when your team or your business has expanded, sometimes at a rapid pace, or maybe it's been a little too flexible, and somehow you are now focused on spending a lot of time and energy (and money) on things that do not advance your business goals effectively.
Mission Creep is a distraction, and it points to how inefficient practices can occur when you lose sight on your goals and objectives.
Look at your organization and you too might find areas that could be a cause of Mission Creep..
How is a Vision Statement Different Than a Mission Statement?
Vision Statements are all about looking out to see where we are headed. - Matt Nobel WIX Photo, edu use
Like with a Mission Statement, with a Vision Statement we are trying to explain quickly who we are and what we represent. You may notice that many Mission Statements lead with a part of their Vision Statement, but it's important to tell them apart.
A Vision Statement is declaration that describes what we hope to achieve in the future. It’s all about what we aim to reach. In some respect, yes it’s our purpose, but it’s more or less meant to motivate everyone and provide some direction on where we are headed. It’s about the over-arching long term objectives, and it’s really a way of focusing the why we are here.
It can be a little vague, in a sense looking at broader ideas. Compare below in our six examples of Mission vs Vision Statements.
Six Examples of Mission Statements vs. Vision Statements
We are going to look at six real life examples of Mission and Vision Statements. Can you pick out the one you like the most? I'll Include my comments. Make sure you make it to the bottom of the list to read my controversial conclusion.
Microsoft
Mission: Our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
Vision: Our vision is to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.
What I like: It's relatable. It doesn't say "a software company". It communicates they provide tools, without saying tools, to help you succeed. Who doesn't need that?
Google
Mission: To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.
Vision: To provide access to the world's information in one click.
What I like: The Mission has a broad scope: "the world's information." The Vision has a very specific feature: "one click". It's not complicated.
Starbucks
Mission: To be the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world, inspiring and nurturing the human spirit - one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
Vision: To establish Starbucks as the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world while maintaining uncompromising principles as we grow.
What I like: It focuses the brand around coffee, specifically the finest, and how it connects to people and our home. It's cozy. It doesn't speak about being the largest, just the best, and the Vision focuses on principles. Interesting!
,
IKEA
Mission: To offer a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.
Vision: To create a better everyday life for the many people.
What I like: It's accessible. We all need quality, pleasing, functional things. Why? Because it makes our everyday life better? Oh and a primary goal here is affordability. Notice it doesn't say "we offer a tiered consumer experience that delivers increasing quality and luxury at three distinct price points". It's not trying to communicate a General Motors way of branding to different personality and income levels. Instead, it's really focusing on inclusivity and accessibility.
Tesla
Mission: Accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energy with a range of electric and energy generation and storage products.
Vision: Accelerating the world's transition to sustainable energy.
What I like: Notice the first action word - "Accelerating". It doesn't say electric automobiles that can take you efficiently to work or play. Interesting, right? Tesla is becoming a lifestyle brand without telling people this. There is significant barrier or change in one's life they need to make when they decide to first switch to an electric car. With this awareness, Tesla is capturing something about their unique purpose and connecting it with some real behavioral bragging rights. Consumers who are interested in Tesla, are in fact, interested in their perceived contribution to innovation, the environment and sustainable energy, and they don't want to be seen as driving an economy car. See how the Mission has part of the Vision in it, and really focuses on something beyond a car? This is beyond engineering. Tesla is changing what industries focus on and they are not limiting themselves to basic transportation. Now, for the best part: They said all of this, with way less, in a just a sentence. Wow. And yet that sentence describes everything Telsa is about right now and looking to the future.
Coca-Cola
Mission: To refresh the world and make a difference.
Vision: To craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love, to refresh them in body & spirt. And done in ways that create a more sustainable business and better shared future that makes a difference in peoples lives, communities and our planet.
What I like: Their Mission is one sentence and that's refreshing. Their Vision is uniquely longer. They don't mention being a cola or competing with Pepsi. Because their brand is so trapped into consumers mind, largely because of their success, it's odd for them to have any statement that doesn't define their cola product exclusively. They are taking away some corporate responsibility here by declaring they make a product people love. They didn't say a high quality or healthy product. But they did refocus this by saying they are "making a difference" and a statement about sustainability. My guess is they know at some point the cola product will not be as profitable, as competitors in the market have for decades operated multi-faceted integrated businesses, and they have to look to the future, which is exactly what a Vision Statement should do. Here is my question that i'll leave you with: Could Coca-Cola buy Starbucks and would that fit into either's Mission and Vision Statements?
My Final Thoughts on These Six Companies Above
If I told you that out of these well known businesses above ONE of them within 20 years will be gone, with empty offices like the photo shows at the start of this article, would you believe me?
They all have pretty good Mission, Vision and Value Statements. They are all pretty good companies that are not that bad off financially. Yet as we know, there are other - once successful companies - that have disappeared within 20 years.
So . . . which one would you pick? Why? Let me know in the comments!
Works Cited:
SEO: "mission statement vs vision statement", Thomas Barwick, Getty Images, academic acceptable use
Photo from Matt Nobel WIX Photo
Pictures and research from (academic acceptable use)
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Written by:
Joe Jellema
Blogger and Senior Editor at Compel Consultants
When I'm not enjoying way too much coffee at work you might catch me rollerskating the beach path in Long Beach, CA
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