Half-Assed Vision, Half-Assed Motivation

A vision and mission statement should be more than just corporate wallpaper—they should inspire, align, and drive meaningful action. Yet, most employees can’t even recall theirs. 

In this episode of Relationships at Work, we dive into why so many organizations treat vision and mission as checkboxes rather than powerful tools for motivation and strategy. We explore what makes a great vision and mission statement, how they can transform engagement and decision-making, and the real cost of getting them wrong. If you want your team to care about the work they do, it starts with giving them something worth believing in.

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Transcript

 Welcome back to Relationships At Work – Your leadership guide to building workplace connections and avoiding blind spots..  I’m your host Russel Lolacher

I’m a communications and leadership nerd with a couple of decades of experience and a heap of curiosity on how we can make the workplace better. If you’re a leader trying to understand and improve your impact on work culture and the employee experience, you’re in the right place. 

This mini-episode is a quick and valuable bit of information to help your mindset for the week ahead. 

Inspired by our R@W Note Newsletter, I’m passing on to you…  

The Unbelievable Power of a Great Vision and Mission

If you get a chance, ask any of your team members what the vision and/or mission statement of your organization is. There might be a response like, “it’s something with respect in it.”

I'll be very surprised if you get anything but a long pause and an awkward smile. 

Which is kinda heart breaking when you think about it. Isn’t this supposed to be the rallying cry! The flag on the mountain? The direction and motivation and “why we do what we do?”

Sadly a lot of organizations treat it like a check box exercise. And that is such a hugely missed opportunity. We as leaders talk about motivating and inspiring staff, we know how integral that is to retention and productivity. So what we really need to do is look far more closely in how we value our vision and missions. Because if we don’t, how on earth can we expect our teams to care?

According to Gallup research, only about 4 in 10 employees (40%) know what their organization stands for and what makes them unique or special. Which demonstrates that leaders are looking at these statements as “things you gotta do”, not as part of the DNA or in motivating teams to reach a north star.

A great vision and mission is about creating a world that doesn't currently exist, and with passion, intent, curiosity and care... it just might be possible. Great ones are aspirational and ambitious, memorable, future-oriented, concise and clear, inspiring, and aligned with company values. For example:

Microsoft - "To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more."

Nike - "To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world."

Alzheimer's Association - "A world without Alzheimer's and all other dementia."

Missions are then action-oriented in how we’re going to achieve that vision. 
 
 So a vision is the future you’re fighting for and mission is how you’re getting there. The why and the how. 

When you get these right, it emboldens your teams. I’ve seen the energy shift once a team member sees themselves and their work align with a great purpose like this. 

So let’s get a little deeper into it. How can a great vision and mission help our organizations?

·       Guides Decision-Making: They serve as a reference point for making strategic decisions. They ensure that leaders and employees are all on the same side as the organization's core values and long-term goals, which helps in maintaining consistency across actions and policies. It also helps us know what not to do if it doesn’t fit with our path forward. 

·       Aligns the Organization: Helps align all parts of an organization, from leadership to the frontline employees, fostering teamwork and reduces internal conflicts, as everyone understands the direction and purpose of their roles. It really helps with cohesiveness and all working together for this greater good. 

·       Inspires and Motivates Employees: When employees understand and connect with the organization’s vision and mission, it creates a sense of purpose and motivation. People are more likely to be engaged and committed when they know their work contributes to something larger. Extremely helpful for remote workers too who need those connections even more. 

·       Attracts and Retains Talent: When our organizations and teams live their vision and mission, it helps attract like-minded individuals who share the same values and aspirations. It also plays a critical role in employee retention, as people want to work for organizations with a clear, inspiring purpose. People aren’t motivated as much by money as a purpose. 

·       Drives Organizational Growth and Adaptability: our environments are changing all the time. All the time. A good, clear vision and mission provide a foundation of stability. When we live our vision and mission, they can help with resilience and act as a compass, helping organizations pivot when necessary while staying true to their core purpose and long-term goals.

When we talk about relationships at work, there are so many relationships to discuss. One I think we need to mention more is our relationship with the purpose of the company. That connection can have real meaning for us throughout the organization.

Here's the problem though, when we treat vision and mission as after thoughts… and I mean not only just throwing something together that’s too long and too corporate and lacks any inspiration. But also when we do spend those months crafting the perfect vision and mission, we then put it on all the posters and websites but we don’t LIVE it every day in every decision… 

What we are demonstrating is a lack of understanding, lack of commitment and a lack of strategic thinking with our half-ass vision and mission. We probably don’t even mean to but that’s what we’re communicating.

It also says we don’t have an answer for our teams on why they are there and why the work matters. That’s not very motivating. 

Take a moment to look at our vision and mission statements. What do they say to you at a personal level? To your work? To the team? To the organization? And what steps can we take to ensure they really matter rather than be a grand lip service experiment?

When you have your answers, we’ll be a step closer to inspiring others on the journey to a more meaningful future. 

A great vision and mission – crafted with intent, communicated regularly and operationalized daily can be one of the most impactful things we can do as leaders. Follow that north star.