Organizational Vision Statement

An Organizational Vision Statement is a future-looking organizational statement that paints an organization's aspirational ideal.

• Context:
  • It can typically provide Strategic Direction through long-term aspiration articulation.
  • It can typically inspire Organizational Commitment through shared purpose definition.
  • It can typically guide Organizational Decision Making through value-based framework establishment.
  • It can typically communicate Organizational Future State through compelling narrative.
  • It can typically align Stakeholder Expectation through transparent goal sharing.
  • ...
  • It can often direct an Organization's Strategy through prioritization guidance.
  • It can often establish Organizational Identity through distinctive purpose statement.
  • It can often motivate Organizational Member through meaningful work context.
  • It can often be associated with an Organizational Mission Statement through complementary purpose definition.
  • It can often support Brand Positioning through external value proposition.
  • ...
  • It can range from being an Overall Organization's Vision Statement to being a Not-for-Profit Organization's Vision Statement, depending on its organizational type.
  • It can range from being a Top-Level Organization's Vision Statement to being a Sub-Organization's Vision Statement, depending on its organizational scope.
  • It can range from being a Simple Organizational Vision Statement to being a Complex Organizational Vision Statement, depending on its expression complexity.
  • It can range from being a Narrow Organizational Vision Statement to being a Broad Organizational Vision Statement, depending on its focus specificity.
  • ...
  • It can have Aspirational Component for inspirational purpose.
  • It can have Timeframe Element for achievement horizon definition.
  • It can have Differentiation Aspect for unique organizational positioning.
  • It can have Impact Declaration for stakeholder benefit articulation.
  • ...
  • It can be Formally Documented during strategic planning processes.
  • It can be Widely Communicated during organizational alignment efforts.
  • It can be Periodically Reviewed during strategic realignment initiatives.
  • It can be Collectively Created during participatory leadership approaches.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Governmental Vision Statements, such as:
    • American President Vision Statement (John F. Kennedy, 1961): "before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.".
    • United Nations Vision Statement (United Nations): "To maintain international peace and security while upholding human rights, sustainable development and dignity for all."
    • NASA Vision Statement (NASA): "To discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity."
    • European Union Vision Statement (European Union): "To promote peace, its values and the well-being of its citizens; offer freedom, security and justice without internal borders; work for sustainable development based on balanced economic growth and price stability, a highly competitive market economy with full employment and social progress, and environmental protection."
    • ...
  • Corporate Vision Statements, such as:
    • LinkedIn Corp. Vision Statement (LinkedIn Corp.): "Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce."
    • Microsoft Corp. Vision Statement (Microsoft Corp.), such as:
      • "A computer on every desk and in every home.".
      • "To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.".
    • Apple Corp. Vision Statement (Apple Corp.): "We believe that we are on the face of the Earth to make great products, and that's not changing. We aim to make the best products on Earth and leave the world better than we found it.".
    • Southwest Airlines Vision Statement (Southwest Airlines): "To become the world's most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline.".
    • IKEA Vision Statement (IKEA): "Our vision is to create a better every-day life for many people.".
    • McDonald's Vision Statement (McDonald's): "To be the best quick service restaurant experience. Being the best means providing outstanding quality, service, cleanliness, and value, so that we make every customer in every restaurant smile."
    • Google Vision Statement (Google): "To provide access to the world's information in one click.".
    • Amazon.com Vision Statement (Amazon.com): "To be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.".
    • Meta Platforms Inc. Vision Statement (Meta Platforms Inc. (Facebook)):
      • "To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.".
      • "People use meta platforms to stay connected with friends and family, discover what's happening worldwide, and share and express what's important to them.".
    • Tata Group Vision Statement (Tata Group): "To be the most respected company in India and globally admired for our values-based leadership.".
    • Mondragon Corporation Vision Statement (Mondragon Corporation): "To create an enduring cooperative business model based on democratic organization and solidarity.".
    • LegalTech Company Vision Statement (LegalTech company): "Empowering legal professionals to focus on what matters most – providing exceptional counsel and advocacy – by automating and streamlining routine tasks and processes.".
    • Zoom Vision Statement (Zoom, Inc.): "Make communications frictionless and secure.".
    • Tesla Vision Statement (Tesla, Inc.): "Accelerating the World's Transition to Sustainable Energy.".
    • Netflix Vision Statement (Netflix, Inc.): "We want to entertain the world. Whatever your taste, and no matter where you live, we give you access to best-in-class TV series, documentaries, feature films, and mobile games. Our members control what they want to watch, when they want it, in a straightforward subscription.".
    • Sony Vision Statement (Sony Corporation): "Using our unlimited passion for technology, content, and services to deliver groundbreaking new excitement and entertainment, as only Sony can.".
    • Uber Vision Statement (Uber Technologies, Inc.): "We ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion.".
    • ...
  • Non-Profit Vision Statements, such as:
    • Alzheimer's Association Vision Statement (Alzheimer's Association): "A world without Alzheimer's disease."
    • Amnesty International Vision Statement (Amnesty International): "A world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and all people live with dignity and security."
    • Save the Children Vision Statement (Save the Children): "A world where every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation."
    • Doctors Without Borders Vision Statement (Doctors Without Borders): "To provide emergency medical humanitarian assistance wherever it is needed, while adhering to principles of neutrality and impartiality."
    • World Wildlife Fund Vision Statement (World Wildlife Fund): "To build a future in which people live in harmony with nature."
    • Red Cross Vision Statement (International Red Cross): "To inspire, encourage and initiate humanitarian activities to prevent and alleviate human suffering."
    • UNICEF Vision Statement (UNICEF): "A world where the rights of every child are realized."
    • ...
  • Educational Institution Vision Statements, such as:
    • Harvard University Vision Statement (Harvard University): "To educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society through our commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education."
    • MIT Vision Statement (Massachusetts Institute of Technology): "To advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century."
    • Stanford University Vision Statement (Stanford University): "To be a trusted source of knowledge and understanding that benefits the world through research, education and impact."
    • Khan Academy Vision Statement (Khan Academy): "To provide a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere."
    • ...
  • Ancient Organizations Vision Statements, such as:
    • Egyptian Religious Institutions Vision Statement (Ancient Egypt): "To uphold ma'at (harmony, balance, order and justice) in all aspects of life and the cosmos."
    • Pythagorean Brotherhood Vision Statement (Ancient Greece): "To cultivate wisdom, virtue and enlightenment through mathematics, music and philosophy."
    • Imperial Bureaucracy Vision Statement (Ancient China): "To create an idealized society governed by Confucian principles of ren (benevolence), li (propriety) and filial piety.".
    • Roman Senate Vision Statement (Ancient Rome): "To preserve and expand Roman power and civilization through wise governance and military strength."
    • ...
  • Medieval/Pre-Modern Vision Statements, such as:
    • Catholic Church Vision Statement (Catholic Church): "To be the supreme spiritual authority and protector of Christian doctrine, traditions and values."
    • Islamic Institutions Vision Statement (House of Wisdom): "To advance human knowledge and understanding through philosophy, science and the preservation of ancient wisdom."
    • Knightly Orders Vision Statement (Knightly Orders): "To embody the chivalric ideals of courage, honor and religious piety in military and monastic service."
    • Medieval Guild Vision Statement (Medieval Craft Guilds): "To uphold the highest standards of craftsmanship, regulate trade practices, and preserve specialized knowledge through the master-apprentice system."
    • Hanseatic League Vision Statement (Hanseatic League): "To protect merchant interests, secure trading routes, and establish commercial dominance across Northern Europe."
    • ...
  • Healthcare Organization Vision Statements, such as:
    • Mayo Clinic Vision Statement (Mayo Clinic): "To provide an unparalleled experience as the most trusted partner for health care."
    • Cleveland Clinic Vision Statement (Cleveland Clinic): "To be the world's leader in patient experience, clinical outcomes, research and education."
    • Johns Hopkins Medicine Vision Statement (Johns Hopkins Medicine): "To improve the health of the community and the world by setting the standard of excellence in medical education, research and clinical care."
    • National Health Service Vision Statement (NHS UK): "To deliver high quality care for all, now and for future generations."
    • ...
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Personal Vision Statement, which addresses individual aspirations rather than organizational direction.
  • Organizational Mission Statement, which focuses on current purpose and operational approach rather than future aspiration.
  • Organizational Value Statement, which articulates guiding principles and behavioral standards rather than desired future state.
  • Strategic Plan, which provides detailed implementation steps rather than inspirational direction.
  • Annual Goal, which establishes short-term objectives rather than long-term aspiration.
• See: Organizational Values, Organizational Culture, Strategic Planning Process, Organizational Purpose, Corporate Identity.

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References

2023

• https://amoeboids.com/blog/12-inspiring-company-product-vision-examples/
  • NOTES:
    1. Zoom Vision Statement (Zoom, Inc.): "Make communications frictionless and secure.".
    2. LinkedIn Vision Statement (LinkedIn Corp.): "Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.".
    3. BBC Vision Statement (BBC): "To act in the public interest, serving all audiences by providing impartial, high-quality, and distinctive output and services which inform, educate, and entertain.".
    4. Tesla Vision Statement (Tesla, Inc.): "Accelerating the World’s Transition to Sustainable Energy.".
    5. Google Vision Statement (Google LLC): "Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.".
    6. Amazon Vision Statement (Amazon.com, Inc.): "To be Earth’s most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can find and discover anything they want to buy online.".
    7. Apple Vision Statement (Apple Inc.): "We believe that we are on the face of the Earth to make great products, and that’s not changing. We aim to make the best products on Earth and leave the world better than we found it.".
    8. Microsoft Vision Statement (Microsoft Corp.): "To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.".
    9. Netflix Vision Statement (Netflix, Inc.): "We want to entertain the world. Whatever your taste, and no matter where you live, we give you access to best-in-class TV series, documentaries, feature films, and mobile games. Our members control what they want to watch, when they want it, in a straightforward subscription.".
    10. Sony Vision Statement (Sony Corporation): "Using our unlimited passion for technology, content, and services to deliver groundbreaking new excitement and entertainment, as only Sony can.".
    11. Uber Vision Statement (Uber Technologies, Inc.): "We ignite opportunity by setting the world in motion.".
    12. Meta Vision Statement (Meta Platforms Inc.): "People use Meta platforms to stay connected with friends and family, discover what’s happening worldwide, and share and express what’s important to them.".

2016

• https://trailhead.salesforce.com/en/content/learn/modules/manage_the_sfdc_organizational_alignment_v2mom/msfw_oav2m_writing_a_v2mom
  • QUOTE: ... The Vision represents what you want to achieve or accomplish. It focuses on what’s most important to you. Writing a great Vision helps you paint a picture of what you want the future to look like.

    Speaking of the future, let’s go back to the future (or past) for a moment. Back in 1961, President John F. Kennedy shared the bold vision, “that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” We might not give that a second thought today, but imagine what an incredibly inspiring, aspirational, and challenging vision that was at the time.

Fast forward back to the future. Want to order a book about JFK, or perhaps astronaut pajamas? Look no further than Amazon.com, which has the inspiring vision “To build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.” That vision is pretty much a reality today.

You might recall from the last unit that the very first V2MOM Vision at Salesforce was to “rapidly create a world-class Internet company/site for Sales Force Automation.” Having achieved that, we moved on to the Vision of providing “Global leadership in providing the software as a service model driven by an enthusiastic and wildly successful customer community, and energized by world-class employees.” Each year, we create a new Vision that boldly describes what we are trying to accomplish. And every function, team, manager and employee does the same.

What is your bold Vision for what you want to achieve this year?

When writing your Vision, think about:

   What do you want to accomplish? (Keep it to 1-3 sentences)
   What impact will it have on your company, employees, customers, and community?
   How can you make it inspiring, fun, and creative (it can and should be a reflection of you!)?

2012

• https://linkedin.com/pulse/20121029044359-22330283-to-manage-hyper-growth-get-your-launch-trajectory-right
  • QUOTE:

    Vision - The dream; a team's true north. Primary objective is to inspire and create a shared sense of purpose throughout the company.
    Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce

    Mission - Overarching objective of the organization; should be measurable, achievable, and ideally inspirational. Should not be used synonymously with a vision statement. A great mission statement is brief, easy to remember, minimizes the use of the word "and" (to prevent a laundry list), shouldn't require follow-up clarifying questions when first presented, and ideally proves to be uniquely identifiable to the company, i.e. wouldn't be confused for another company's mission.
    Connect the world's professionals to make them more productive and successful

    ...

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