What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
The vision statement focuses on tomorrow and what the organization wants to become. The mission statement focuses on today and what the organization does. While companies commonly use mission and vision statements interchangeably, it’s important to have both. One doesn’t work without the other, because having purpose and meaning are critical for any business.
What is a mission statement?
Your mission statement drives the company. It is what you do- the core of the business, and from it come the objectives and finally, what it takes to reach those objectives. It also shapes your company’s culture.
Mission statement questions look like:
What is a vision statement?
Your vision statement gives the company direction. It is the future of the business, which then provides the purpose.
The vision statement is about what you want to become. It’s aspirational.
Vision statement questions look like:
The vision statement promotes growth, both internally and externally. A strong vision helps teams focus on what matters the most for their company. It also invites innovation. A purpose-driven company envisions success as a whole, because they know what success means for their company.
Examples of Mission and Vision Statements:
Company: Tesla
Mission: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
Vision: To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.
Why it works: What better word than “accelerate” in a mission to serve as the driving force behind what Tesla does. While boldly stating “best in the century” reflects loftier dreams in the vision.
Company: Amazon
Mission: We strive to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best available selection, and the utmost convenience.
Vision: To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.
Why it works: Amazon’s mission is cut-and-dry about what they offer to customers. The vision takes the offerings farther, saying their company will offer “anything” customers want.
Company: Patagonia
Mission: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
Vision: A love of wild and beautiful places demands participation in the fight to save them, and to help reverse the steep decline in the overall environmental health of our planet.
Why it works: Building and implementation in Patagonia’s mission convey what they achieve every day. The tone of the vision changes dramatically, showing a company who will rise up to protect the future.
Company: LinkedIn
Mission: To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.
Vision: To create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.
Why it works: LinkedIn succinctly captures what they do (connect) and who they serve (the world’s professionals) in their mission. While the vision encompasses every working person in the world.
Company: 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.
Why it works: Google may seem complex, but its mission clarifies that organization and accessibility are what they offer. Their vision statement is about improving accessibility in the future “in one click.”
Company: Uber
Mission: Uber’s mission is to bring transportation — for everyone, everywhere.
Vision: Smarter transportation with fewer cars and greater access. Transportation that’s safer, cheaper, and more reliable; transportation that creates more job opportunities and higher incomes for drivers.
Why it works: Uber “transports,” so it is the perfect actionable verb for their mission. The vision dives deeper into how their transportation services exist for the greater good of everyone.
Company: Facebook
Mission: To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.
Vision: People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.
Why it works: Facebook’s mission is focused on the community their platform promises. Their vision talks about why community matters, interweaving how they will “bring the world closer together” from the mission.
What is the difference between a vision and a mission?
The vision statement focuses on tomorrow and what the organization wants to become. The mission statement focuses on today and what the organization does. While companies commonly use mission and vision statements interchangeably, it’s important to have both. One doesn’t work without the other, because having purpose and meaning are critical for any business.
What is a mission statement?
Your mission statement drives the company. It is what you do- the core of the business, and from it come the objectives and finally, what it takes to reach those objectives. It also shapes your company’s culture.
Mission statement questions look like:
What is a vision statement?
Your vision statement gives the company direction. It is the future of the business, which then provides the purpose.
The vision statement is about what you want to become. It’s aspirational.
Vision statement questions look like:
The vision statement promotes growth, both internally and externally. A strong vision helps teams focus on what matters the most for their company. It also invites innovation. A purpose-driven company envisions success as a whole, because they know what success means for their company.
Examples of Mission and Vision Statements:
Company: Tesla
Mission: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
Vision: To create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world’s transition to electric vehicles.
Why it works: What better word than “accelerate” in a mission to serve as the driving force behind what Tesla does. While boldly stating “best in the century” reflects loftier dreams in the vision.
Company: Amazon
Mission: We strive to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best available selection, and the utmost convenience.
Vision: To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.
Why it works: Amazon’s mission is cut-and-dry about what they offer to customers. The vision takes the offerings farther, saying their company will offer “anything” customers want.
Company: Patagonia
Mission: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
Vision: A love of wild and beautiful places demands participation in the fight to save them, and to help reverse the steep decline in the overall environmental health of our planet.
Why it works: Building and implementation in Patagonia’s mission convey what they achieve every day. The tone of the vision changes dramatically, showing a company who will rise up to protect the future.
Company: LinkedIn
Mission: To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.
Vision: To create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.
Why it works: LinkedIn succinctly captures what they do (connect) and who they serve (the world’s professionals) in their mission. While the vision encompasses every working person in the world.
Company: 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.
Why it works: Google may seem complex, but its mission clarifies that organization and accessibility are what they offer. Their vision statement is about improving accessibility in the future “in one click.”
Company: Uber
Mission: Uber’s mission is to bring transportation — for everyone, everywhere.
Vision: Smarter transportation with fewer cars and greater access. Transportation that’s safer, cheaper, and more reliable; transportation that creates more job opportunities and higher incomes for drivers.
Why it works: Uber “transports,” so it is the perfect actionable verb for their mission. The vision dives deeper into how their transportation services exist for the greater good of everyone.
Company: Facebook
Mission: To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.
Vision: People use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them.
Why it works: Facebook’s mission is focused on the community their platform promises. Their vision talks about why community matters, interweaving how they will “bring the world closer together” from the mission.