Most organizations, from non-profits to for-profit businesses, have a clearly defined vision, mission, and set of goals that establish a clear direction, purpose, and benchmarks for success. They also assist in aligning organizational structure and programs directly to the stated mission and vision. Organizations may use only a mission or vision statement or a combination of the two. Some provide more depth and detail about their mission by concrete and measureable objectives to support their goals.
Key Definitions:
| Vision | A broad, timeless statement about the long-term future of an organization and/or the state of the community it serves. It is the end result of an organization’s work as perceived by stakeholders. |
| Mission | A statement about the purpose of an organization that describes how an organization will fulfill its vision. The mission should be easy to remember and inspiring to both employees and the community. |
| Goals | A concrete definition of the major steps taken by an organization to achieve its mission and vision. |
Why are vision, mission, and goals important? Having a clear vision and communicating that vision to employees—making it part of their day-to-day activities—helps employees see and understand the impact of their work. This is key to helping employees feel positively about their work.