How can you keep your mission and vision statements consistent?

1 Review and revise regularly

Your mission and vision statements are not set in stone. They should evolve with your organization as you grow, change, and learn. Therefore, you should review and revise them regularly, at least once a year, to ensure that they are still relevant and accurate. You can use feedback from your stakeholders, data from your performance, and insights from your industry to inform your revisions. Make sure that you communicate any changes to your mission and vision statements clearly and transparently to your audience, and explain the rationale behind them.

2 Align with your strategy

Your mission and vision statements should guide your strategy, not contradict it. Your strategy is the plan of action that you use to achieve your vision and fulfill your mission. Therefore, you should align your strategy with your mission and vision statements, and make sure that they are compatible and coherent. If you find any gaps or inconsistencies between your strategy and your mission and vision statements, you should either adjust your strategy or update your statements. Otherwise, you risk confusing or losing the trust of your stakeholders.

3 Embed in your culture

Your mission and vision statements should not be just words on a paper or a website. They should be embedded in your culture, which is the set of beliefs, values, and behaviors that shape your organization. You can embed your mission and vision statements in your culture by making them visible and accessible, by integrating them in your policies and processes, by rewarding and recognizing behaviors that align with them, and by encouraging and empowering your employees to live by them. By embedding your mission and vision statements in your culture, you can foster a sense of identity, purpose, and commitment among your employees.

4 Involve your stakeholders

Your mission and vision statements should not be created or maintained in isolation. They should involve your stakeholders, which are the people who have an interest or influence in your organization, such as your customers, employees, partners, suppliers, investors, regulators, and competitors. You can involve your stakeholders in your mission and vision statements by soliciting their input, by sharing your drafts, by inviting their feedback, by addressing their concerns, and by celebrating their contributions. By involving your stakeholders in your mission and vision statements, you can increase their engagement, loyalty, and satisfaction.

5 Monitor and measure

Your mission and vision statements should not be vague or unrealistic. They should be monitorable and measurable, which means that you can track and evaluate your progress and performance against them. You can monitor and measure your mission and vision statements by setting clear and specific objectives, by defining relevant and meaningful indicators, by collecting and analyzing data, by reporting and communicating results, and by taking corrective actions if needed. By monitoring and measuring your mission and vision statements, you can ensure that they are achievable and impactful.

Keeping your mission and vision statements consistent is not easy, but it is worth it. By following these tips, you can create and maintain mission and vision statements that reflect your organization's identity, direction, and value, and that inspire and motivate your stakeholders to support your success.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?