Mission, vision, values, and change
Are clear and compelling mission and vision statements necessary for an organization (school, business, non-profit) to be highly successful? Why or why not? If possible, cite non-anecdotal evidence to support your position.
61 comments:
"It is awfully important to know what is and what is not your business." -- Gertrude Stein
I believe from personal experience that vision statements can range from powerful and useful to meaningless and fluff. I have worked on a staff that spent time together discussing, creating and writing a vision for the school. With this collaborative effort, it became a meaningful statement. The words seemed to truly reflect what we hoped to accomplish at our school. By having this opportunity to do it as a staff, it pushed us to reflect, share and create together. It became a bonding experience and was meaningful.
Since that time (several years ago), however, new staff has joined the school and I doubt they know that our school has a mission statement. At one point it was nicely framed and displayed in our rooms, but as leadership has changed, it has gathered dust and it no longer holds meaning for the whole school community.
Bringing the abstract concept of a school-wide vision from theory into practice enables administrators to extend a broad-based leadership approach to the teachers (Lambert, 2003)
Don Midgett, who consults for government businesses, recommends a vision built as a team. He believes a shared vision statement brings these positive changes to a business:
-Help with decision making
-Articulate a reason for being
-Create organizational unity
-Help link diverse organizational units
-Provide focus and direction
-Motivate organizational members toward a more desirable future
Ideally a school leader will take time to revisit a school’s vision for a time of reflection and ensuring the focus is mutual and clear as a school community.
Ed Sim (founder a company that seeks to partner with and provide seed funding to bold entrepreneurs in the Internet, mobile, and cloud computing markets) stated, "Vision statements matter. Sometimes we get too focused on the daily bump and grind, the next product release, and forget about the big picture and what we are trying to accomplish (see an earlier post on Vision). Trust me, the word vision became a dirty word during the bubble as many companies were long on vision and short on execution. I am not advocating that we return to that environment, but I am strongly saying that companies do need a vision and that it can help them with their execution."
Clear and compelling mission and vision statements are definitely necessary for an organization to be highly successful. It is vital that an organization have a vision because it communicates the change you want to create, or the direction in which you'd like to head, to stakeholders. The mission statement determined by what's in the vision statement. While the vision identifies your ideal organization, the mission involves action that will be required to make the vision a reality.
I, like Meg, have worked in schools where a committee of teachers, parents, and administrators worked for many hours to draft concise, powerful vision and mission statements that were published at the beginning of the school and then never revisited. This resulted in a group of people with little to no common purpose going in all different directions. This resulted in a lack of cohesiveness and execution.
It is important to note that both mission and vision statements are only contributor to success when they are used to guide the work and actions of the organization.
Regardless of where your mission or vision is posted, without actions that follow, a mission and vision is useless. In order for a mission and/or vision statement to guide a school to success, everyone within the school must buy into the mission and work to ensure that the mission is being practiced. At my school, Vance Charter School, the mission statement is posted in large print on the wall as you enter our building. There have been years of my employment that I did not feel that it served any purpose, whereas other years, I have been driven by our mission statement. As a leader I feel that it is your job to ensure that all staff has a part in the mission of the school. As new faculty enter our school or administration changes, extreme effort must be placed in ensuring that all faculty is on board to work towards the mission that is set. I have seen times in which mission statements are extremely powerful as long as all team members are working towards the mission together.
I believe mission and vision statements are necessary for an organization to be highly successful. Mission and vision statements are critical to an organization understanding where it is headed in the present and the future. In a school, the faculty and student body need to understand their purpose, along with having a common goal for what it wants members to achieve. If a school or business does not have a vision, they will not be able to effectively reach their goals or go in a positive direction. The mission statement needs to be the framework that each member of an association keeps in mind in everything they want to accomplish on a day-to-day basis. If you will, a road map to becoming highly successful. For example, experts Millot and Lake (1996), feel that the single most important attribute of a charter school is a strong sense of a purpose/mission statement shared by everyone involved. According to Jack Welch, a mission statement expert, “good leaders are able to create a vision, articulate that vision, and see that it is carried out.” Mission and vision statements are also important because each decision that the school makes depends upon what its purpose is and the direction the school wants to go. Clear statements help communicate the expectations of the school, plus keep everyone on the same path. Also, administrators determine new programs or initiatives based off of its mission statement. Therefore, clear or compelling mission and vision statements eliminate organizational confusion. It also provides confidence in everyone who follows the statements. Through a shared mission/vision, each person feels it has a part in contributing to its overall success. According to Bill Ferriter, “Organizations develop a sense of pride in what it wants to accomplish through these statements.” Altogether, mission and vision statements are essential in allowing a school or business to formulate a plan in becoming highly successful.
I agree with Susan. It is critical to ensure that staff members believe in and follow both the mission and vision statement. If the sentiments in the documents are seen as meaningless by employees, they will have no influence in the workings of the organization. There must be buy in and follow through for both Mission and Vision statements to be effective.
One last thought:
I believe Mission and Vision statements for public schools are far more complex and convoluted then those produced in the private industries. Why? Because many times public school employees forget the most significant key to the success of these declarations: the students.
Many believe that a quality vision and mission statement establishes a solid foundation that guides schools, businesses, or non-profits to be successful. The individuals prior to my posting believe Mission and Vision statements are instrumental in creating cohesive teams. I disagree with Meg’s position because collaboration in creation of such statements will not ensure that staff members are devoted to the culture of the school. Meg: Are you contributing success to clear and concise mission and vision statements? Meg: Can you further explain your definition of a meaningful school? I will agree that the mission statement outlines the company’s present state where as the vision statement directs and guides the agency through obstacles as they make decisions. It is imperative to have all stakeholders involved and allow them an opportunity to share insight of what they believe is important to the growth of the business or agency. In spite of this employees can develop a level of disconnect from the norm of agencies/businesses when the mission and vision statement serves no purpose or meaning. I have worked with many teams before as they developed norms and expectations yet they were unable to maintain consistent levels of commitment among stakeholders as the staff fluctuated over the years.
Latisa I agree with you when it was stated that clear and compelling mission and vision statements are necessary for an organization to be successful. I also believe that these two statements serve as a guide for the agency or businesses to format structure and by laws. Recognize that the dilemma did not stem from the failure to revisit these statements once developed, however as a leader one must ensure that all stakeholders are aware of their role in the growth of its establishment. As Susan stated it is the leader who must ensure that all staff members must be invested stakeholders in the mission of the school. I challenge Susan and Latisa to explain what leadership styles or decisions were they exposed to that supported the stakeholder’s uncooperative efforts throughout the process. Often stakeholders never embrace these statements because differentiated leadership styles and expectations can create inconsistencies that contribute to disarray. Susan: How did your leader ensure that all team members are working towards the mission together? What strategies did you adopt from your leader that you will develop and implement at your school/agency. These are all fundamental issues you will face as the blueprint for the school is developed.
I believe that mission and vision statements are significant factors that mold the forethought of your agency. These statements and documents serve as reminders for individuals to pilot their decisions and conflicts. As Russ stated the stake holders are important in the process of developing these central ideas and framework to guide the group. Nevertheless these invested individuals must understand and value the created statements that will serve as the proposals for the future of agency/school/or non-profit. Russ I will disagree with you when you stated that if a school or business does not have a vision or mission statement they will not effectively reach their goals. Groups/teams or agencies can work together to accomplish goals or expectations without these statements because they serve as a guidance tools and techniques. Lack of vision and mission statements will create limited growth but it will not measure the effectiveness of any agency. As stated on referenceforbusiness.com the vision statement serves as a guide into the future while the mission statements are a reflection of the present state.
Cyndi, I think your comparison of private industry vs. public schools' vision is interesting. I have not read enough private companies' visions to agree or disagree. But it is interesting, maybe even disconcerting what jargon some public schools piece together to display as their vision. I feel for the most part good intentions are behind these statements but often this 'task' of developing a mission statement is considered another "job" to get done and crossed off the index card. It is clearly a challenge for some school leaders to see the purpose or value in taking time to create this as a community.
I agree with Susan on her view on mission and vision statements. Organizations may have the greatest mission and vision ever created, but without individuals putting it into action, it becomes worthless. It is an excellent idea to enlarge the mission statement so that it becomes an emphasis for that people see daily, so that all members of a school or business can be reminded of its importance. Similarly to Susan, the school that I work in now created a lengthy mission statement that others could not understand, but looked good to those on the outside. As a result, the School Improvement team revamped the statement, shortening it so that it contained one major focus that was easier to carry out. It is vital that school leaders continue to remind their faculty and staff of the importance of its mission, maintaining that each person is held accountable in its execution. Just like Meg wrote, there are many times where school leaders craft a mission or vision statement that is wordy and full of things that are impossible to apply within the school. Therefore, I believe that a concise mission, focusing on school growth is necessary for it to achieve success.
Are they necessary for a school to be highly successful? I do not think so but definitely believe that implemented correctly they can really help. I believe the article "vision-less learning community" demonstrates this idea of how a mission statement can really help establish priorities within a school but only if it is strictly adhered to. The idea expressed at the end of the article of a guardian principal is one I believe becomes more important as resources dry up. By crafting a meaningful mission statement the school can organize behind the priorities outlined and remain focused on those. Yet there also has to be a clearly defined vision behind the mission as expressed in the article.
To me a mission and vision statement is like a written curriculum for the school. Just as an aligned and well-written curriculum allows for equity throughout the school even as teachers change a well-written mission statement with aligned vision statements allows for everyone in the school to use flexibility as they work towards a common goal. A curriculum guide also allows for continuity in every classroom as teachers change just like a well-written and crafted vision and mission statement allows for continuity of priorities and goals as teachers and administrators change.
Are they necessary? No - some schools will achieve high success without them; however, correctly creating and implementing a clear and compelling mission and vision statement greatly increases the odds of success.
Mission statements can be powerful when implemented in a meaningful manner. All the stakeholders have to understand to concept and buy into statement. The mission statement has to be what drives to day to day practices as Bill Ferriter pointed out. When each discussion is made around if it applies to the mission and vision of the organization then mission of the organization is likely to be accomplished. But if the organization spends hours and days putting together as group of words that don't make sense when the critical and criteria questions are asked,then it is useless.
I think mission/vision statements are necessary but if you are not going to live in that vision what's the point? If teachers and administrations are not living the school's mission and or vision then these are merely words on a wall collecting dust. As teachers and administrators come and go those responsible for hiring them must make sure they know, understand, and believe in the mission statement of that institution. I am starting to believe they are not necessary because the vast majority of schools do not live in mission/vision statements. A school's mission statement should be a living document that everyone working and attending the school share. We (society) buy into this belief because every good organization seems to have one but I think there are more that do not.
I also believe that leaders should have a vision or mission statement. Their mission statement should coincide with the schools in which they work. If the Principal and School do not share the same vision then the leaders’ decisions will not mesh with the school's beliefs and values.
David - could you clarify more about your last paragraph where you say leaders should have their own vision statement as well (but that it needs to mesh with the school's vision)? I think that is an interesting point and one that poses some interesting issues.
What if the principal just adopted/modified the school's vision statement to make their own personal one? Or do you think they should craft their own that they keep with them as they change schools (and therefore they use as a tool to decide which schools are good fits for them).
Should teachers also create their own vision statement? I have had to create Big Goals before but it was not near as complex or detailed as a vision statement. Should teachers create their own or just adapt the school's statement?
Would principals creating their own and making teachers have their own help make the school vision statement more meaningful?
Clear and compelling mission and vision statements are necessary for the success of an organization if, and only if, the members of the organization share in the vision and understand how they fit into the context of the mission. According to a Watson Wyatt Work Study, "Companies whose employees understand the mission and goals enjoy a 29 percent greater return than other firms." Though this statement seems geared toward business and industry, it certainly can apply to schools as well. Of course, the "return" we are looking for is student achievement. When the vision is shared among the members of the organization, they feel greater ownership over seeing that it becomes reality.
I also feel very strongly that any organization must take the time to regularly assess the effectiveness and need for their current vision and mission statements. As time progresses, priorities change. Maintaining the same tired direction when reality is different means that many vision and mission statements are merely useless rhetoric. A Workplace 2000 Employee Insight Survey found that "U.S. workers want their work to make a difference, but 75% do not think their company's mission statement has become the way they do business." That number is shockingly high, but it proves that many leaders think that crafting a vision and mission statement once is enough and they never evaluate it.
Do you have to have a vision and mission statement?
I agree Russ, there are schools (such as mine) where the majority of the staff is unaware of these statements. But the dedication and commitment of this staff is evident in their work with children from at-risk environments.
One of my many ideas of how to change the world... well education at least, is for teachers to be paid for an 11 or 12 month year. This additional time gives educators opportunities to participate in more professional development, take time for reflection, and come together as a team to build a vision as a community.
Hey Matt
Instead of mission/vision statement what I meant to say is that a Principal should have a written philosophy. This philosophy should coincide with a school's mission/vision statement. I have witnessed where Principals did not fit the vision of their respective schools and it caused all kinds of problems. I feel that if those hiring principals (panels, school boards, etc) could see and or ask about a Principal's philosophy they could do a better job of matching a school to its leader. I understand there are advantages and disadvantages to this but it is a thought.
So I have a question: should the creation of the mission statement be driven more by the principal or faculty? How should it be crafted - by vote? consensus? Input from the faculty with the principal writing it (to avoid debates about individual words)? A separate committee just for this purpose? The SIT?
How do the decisions made regarding the above questions affect buy-in from the faculty?
I think most of us would immediately say some form of the faculty and principal working together but how much should the principal lead the discussion versus facilitating it? How do you make sure that the faculty on the committee have a similar understanding and value of a well-crafted mission statement as a principal would? How do you select faculty that will be able to create excitement and commitment to the mission statement after it is written? Essentially, how do you deal with the issues presented during our last class with Schainker?
David- I really like that idea (even if it is just something that principals decide to personally do). I think it could help avoid having the problems you alluded to having seen. A great principal at one school will not necessarily have the same level of success at a different school; if the principal had a personal philosophy well articulated and stuck to it, they would hopefully avoid accepting positions where they won't be a good fit. Thanks for answering!
Is it that schools go about developing a mission statement with the wrong objectives in mind? The mission/vision statement at both my schools, mirror statements on the NCDPI website. I started to think that maybe the mission statement should be adjusted yearly and the vision should be adjusted every 5-10 years; that way the mission could be accomplished and the school could move on to the next mission. The vision could then be adjusted to reflect the progress being made. After all, what is the purpose of a mission/vision statement if you can't measure how close you are to achieving the goal you set out to accomplish?
Suzanne, I think you made a very compelling argument. I agree that schools should revisit their mission/vision statements. My question is how often? I agree that vision and mission of schools change over time but who determines that it is time to make a change to the mission/vision statement.
How do teachers factor into this? I will tell you that many of the teachers in my school including myself could not tell you what the school's vision/statement is. I would venture to say many of you all don't know your own school's vision/mission statements. Does it matter?
When considering if clear and compelling mission and vision statements are necessary for an organization to be highly successful, I must question how is clear and compelling being defined. It has been my experience that the mission statement is clear, but the staff is not necessarily compelled to engage in the work that is needed. People were supporters of the mission and vision. However, the work required presented reluctance and difficulty for many.
"Unfortunately, in recent years vision and mission statements have become watered down in the corporate world to the point where they are essentially meaningless..." Jay Ebben,Ph.D
I believe that this same watering down effect has taken place in the school system. Schools are writing mission and vision statements that are aligned with the Department of Education's requirements, but do not necessarily reflect the school's needs. Therefore, the vison and mission may be clear and compelling, but does not meet the needs of the school community. Which leads back to the question, how is clear and compelling being defined.
Susan, I agree that regardless to where the mission and vision statement is posted without action it is useless. However, I am wondering how you are defining school success. Does school success mean all students are afforded the same opportunities outlined in the mission and vision or are you referring to another means of success? Is it not possible for a school to experience group success without all "buying in"?
Russ mentioned that schools, specifically school improvement teams, should work to make sure mission statements are concise and easily understood. He also mentioned that they should be enlarged and posted within the building to signify the importance of the mission. While I totally agree that both mission and vision statements should be free of jargon, I think it's more important that they are meaningful to the people charged with carrying out those missions and visions. I don't think this can be accomplished simply by enlarging font they're written in and posting them. I think in order to achieve buy-in the group must be made to feel that they're contribution, or lack thereof, to accomplishing what's in the vision would have a significant impact on the outcome of the organization. This can only be achieved through professional development that focuses on the purpose of the mission and the development of strategies to carry it out.
Tierre, in all honesty, one of the big problems that existed in the schools I mentioned was that after vision and mission statements were initially created, the leader seemed to adopt philosophies that directly contradicted what had been agreed upon. As a result, faculty and staff members were left feeling confused and their input dismissed. Because of this, I find David H.'s comment,"If the Principal and School do not share the same vision then the leaders’ decisions will not mesh with the school's beliefs and values" so apropos. A leaders vision and mission have to be aligned with that organization if it is to be successful. In my experience, when these things were in conflict, discontent, dissatisfaction, a drop in morale, and a noticeable decrease in productivity occurred.
David H,
I don't think anyone can give a clear answer as to how often these statements should be assessed. Certainly before each school year, but also if there were any major changes in the community, at the school, nationally, etc. Also, ALL stakeholders need to have a hand in creating a vision and mission statement. The fewer people who have a hand in crafting these statements, the fewer people who will truly have stock in seeing the mission through.
When we hired a new principal last year, and we added a technology academy, we revisited our original mission statement and rewrote it with 21st century learning in mind. The problem with ours is that only the SIT had a hand in writing it. Now, there are very few people who really know what the mission statement includes, and I would venture a guess that the main reason for that is that no one was consulted in creating it. Therefore, they don't feel a connection to it.
Jennifer,
You're absolutely right. It often seems as though some mission statements are so purposefully vague that it's impossible to measure their effectiveness. Here in Cumberland County, our former superintendent and his cabinet created a countywide policy that required all schools to create a mission statement that was directly related to the county's mission and that this mission statement be posted in every single classroom throughout the district. Principals went to a big meeting and created these statements that all sounded very similar to the county's, but none of them actually said anything at all. Part of me wonders if principals hated having to write a mission based on something they either didn't believe in, didn't understand, or didn't buy into. For that reason, all over Cumberland County we have mission statements that can't be measured because they don't seem to have any measureable components. For vision and mission statements to be effective, they have to be effective in the school's context, with its own specific needs in mind, and all stakeholders have to understand them and have some ownership of them. They need to be goal-oriented, with objectives that are measureable in a reasonable period of time.
I feel as if mission statements play a key part in the success of an organization, as long as the mission statement is followed. A mission statement should be visible for all to see. Mission statements have the purpose of keeping the individuals and groups within the organization to stay on path. Mission statements are to create a vision amongst the faculty, staff, and stakeholders of the school. I feel if a school is not following their mission statement, the school looks disorganized.
My initial thought with mission and vision statements is if you are going to have one, then you better follow it. I think they are often a formality that organizations spend a lot of time writing, but there is not necessarily any buy-in or follow through after the fact. I think that a clear and compelling mission and vision statement is important, but I would not go as far to say that it is necessary for an organization to be highly successful. I guess where I am stuck on the issue is that I do not think having a clear and compelling vision statement is synonymous with having a clear vision. I think that it is the leaders’ job to set the vision of the organization and embody this vision. The leaders then get the rest of the organization to buy into the vision. I think that the vision can be ingrained in to the culture of the organization and not necessarily formally written out. Again, I think that vision and mission and vision statements are important, and when followed can lead to success, but they are not necessarily a requirement for success.
I do feel that clear and compelling mission and vision statements necessary for an organization to be highly successful. According to Rebecca Rodskog of the Rodskog Change Consulting Company a mission statement is what drives you on a day-to-day basis. It’s the reason your product or service is in existence, and it defines the “why” behind the thing you’re creating. And a vision statement is the end state: what you ultimately want your company to become and the impact you want to have on your customers and the world.
She goes on to say that mission and vision statements create the framework and inspiration your organization and its employees need to be successful.
Latisa I can relate to you and Meg because I also have worked within a school where a committee was selected to create these dynamic mission and vision statements for the school and we made sure that they were posted throughout the school but over time they were just another piece of wall décor that was just put to the side and never really thought of again.
There is an old Japanese proverb that states the important symbiotic relationship between vision and action: Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.
Tristen, I agree with you that mission statements are important in the success of any organization and I’m glad that you include as long as they are followed. Because I mentioned that I worked in a school were the mission statements were plastered everywhere but they were not be enforced or maybe reinforced by the individuals that worked within the school.
However when well designed and implemented, mission and vision statements can bring clarity to decision-making that makes everyone's work easier.
Meg I agree with you that it is important for a school leader to take the time to revisit and reflect on the school’s vision to ensure that the focus is clear and mutual for the school community.
Because at my current school to be honest I do not feel that if asked a lot of people would know exactly what our school’s mission and vision statements state. And now that we have a new principal I feel that it would have been a good idea for her to reflect on the vision and mission statements that were set in place and if possible revise those statements to ensure that she is on board with them.
I had not really thought a lot about a point Jennifer brought up that I feel is really key - should a mission statement be measurable? They all tend to use vague terms (what exactly is a 21st century student by the way?) which might be part of the reason why they are not always clear or compelling.
Matthew, following up on the point about the vision statement being measureable, an article I found in the Journal of Business Strategy said that a vision statement needs to have seven characteristics to lead to increased success: conciseness, clarity, future orientation, stability, challenge, abstractness, and desirability or ability to inspire. The study showed that if the vision statement was missing one of these components, then there was no significant effect. It does not mention measurability, but it does include future orientation. I would agree that the vision statement needs to include some type of goal for future improvement. Stemming from that, I think a well written goal follows the SMART goal pattern and is measurable.
Kantabutra, S., & Avery, G. C. (2010). The power of vision: Statements that resonate. The Journal of Business Strategy, 31(1), 37. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/202677477?accountid=10598
Cyndi:
I like the point you bring up about how our vision needs to focus on why we are in this business of education in the first place, and that is for the students. Much effort is spent on getting meetings to work on the 'Vision Statement' organized and on extracting verbage painfully out of staff. Sadly, in many cases, the creation of the final product serves more as an item check-off for the administrator and not much more.
A strong vision and mission statement are key to the success of any institution and especially a school. It is important for schools to establish these statements and to revisit them periodically. When new members join the organization it is important that they are aware of these statements and support them before joining. At our school these statements are posted as soon as you walk in the main building on a large illustration for all to see. Unfortunately, no one has ever shared the concepts of this illustration with me. This leads me to wonder, how important are the words on this illustration? “ Habakkuk 2 2And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. 3For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” School leaders should keep the vision and mission statements close by their hearts. By doing so when things become chaotic, and they will, no one gets lost.
Tierre:
I think Meg has a good point regarding collaboration.
Without collaboration, nothing much is going to be achieved. Actually, we can take Meg's point a step further. Superficial collaboration where staff members grudgingly mark their presence at meetings where the school vision (or other interests) are being discussed, then rush out not knowing what they agreed to, will not work either.
For a school to 'live' its' vision, there really needs to be true consensus, where everyone wants to work with the leaders in the school, to create a joint success, where they all win.
I think when people collaborate for a good cause and have the discipline and guiding leadership that promotes this, then a powerful vision can be a great unifying force.
Alvilda:
I like your Japanese quote on Vision and Action.
Don't you all think that in most cases our schools conduct both those crimes?
We don't take much action (because our thoughts and therefore our statements are too vague) and when we do take action the result is usually a disaster (because we were acting on vague visions to start with)!
David H:
I liked your point and so am adding a little to what you brought up: The type of mission/vision a school ends up living, will very closely reflect the Administrator's personal philosophy. In expanding a bit on this, the personal philosophy is who we are and what our motivations are.
I believe that mission and vision statements are necessary for a school to be successful. Mission and vision statements set goals and give purpose to a school’s education plan. When a mission statement is clear and concise, it can help stakeholders reach an understanding of the school’s purpose. However, for the mission statement to be effective, it must inspire educators to be better.
I feel the best approach to promoting this ideology is to involve the entire staff in developing the mission statement. Many times the mission statement is mandated and forced upon a school’s staff. When this occurs, the statement is usually overlooked or soon forgotten. Mission statements will be most likely ignored when they are written by a selected committee of the school’s staff. Instead, an administrator should include the entire faculty. As Latisa suggested, giving a staff professional development will enable them to put purpose into the development of the plan. Then, the faculty will feel better equipped when creating a mission statement.
Stakeholder buy-in is more likely when a school’s faculty puts their knowledge and opinion into a mission statement. Administrators that utilize their staff’s expertise might create a vision with less fluff and more sustenance. As an administrator, I would use my staff to write a meaningful mission statement. I feel it will increase the likelihood that the statement is understood and agreed upon. “An effective mission statement is certainly one that has meaning to the whole school community, it should inspire! A mission statement should clearly communicate what has heart and meaning within the school.” Cile Chavez, principal.
The founders of Vance Charter School established our mission statement in 1999. In 2006, some of the same founders decided that a Performance Committee should be established to ensure that we are doing all that we can as stakeholders to accomplish our mission. As a member of this committee, I feel that it is extremely worthwhile and I have seen the benefits of this committee. Without follow through and constant enhancements, a mission statement becomes stagnant and useless.
Giving it even more thought, I began to think about how we, as future administrators, plan to ensure that we are committed to the mission statements that are established. What will we do to ensure that our staff is on board to work daily to strive for our mission? Prior to this blog, I had not given much thought about making sure that the mission is one that pushes you to be a better educator. It is easy to set goals that are easy to obtain, but according to the Vision-less Learning Community blog posted on July 6, 2008, I understand the important of reaching for higher goals, pushing your staff to set the bar higher. We must strive for excellence and inspire one another in establishing a mission statement.
Janice:
You stated that a vision statement is not as important as a vision. You also stated that a vision statement is not necessary to have success. I would respectfully disagree. Although I understand your position that a skilled leader can make a vision that people can follow, I would argue that the institution would only be as effective as that leader. I would also argue that the institution would fail or be forced to switch directions if the leadership changed. It is my opinion that the established vision statement leads the way not the leader. I would liken it to the constitution being the United States vision statement and the President being the leader.
Roderic, you bring up a good point about the institution only being as good as its leader. I have seen schools and organizations fail or change directions when the leadership changed. I would agree that a solid vision statement should lead the way and be able to withstand leadership changes. That is the ideal, but I wonder how often that actually happens? Also, new leadership may come in and change directions even when there is a good vision statement in place already. My opinion might be different if I had experienced being a part of an organization that was truly led by its vision statement.
Latisa and David,
I agree with the two of you that it is necessary for the principal's educational philosophy and the school's mission statement and vision to be in alignment. However, just because the two are not in alignment does not necessarily mean that the school will be unsuccessful. It just means that the mission statement has no impact on the school. It is an ignored statement. The only exception is if the staff has a strong buy in to the mission statement. This factor can lead to several problems for the principal. With that in mind, some school's mission statements are out of date and do not account for 21st Century learners. The staff may still buy into the previous mission, and that might be the problem with the school. The principal's conflicting educational philosophy may have been the reason he was hired.
Wonderful mission and vision statements are useless if no one knows or believes in their message. Organizations can be successful without vision statements if everyone has the same values and has a clear understanding of the goals. This made me think about my school. Our vision is posted on all of our agendas; however, I didn’t know what it said as would most of our staff. Upon reviewing it, I do and support all the items it addresses. This tells me that it isn’t the statement but rather the message.
Suzanne,
You made a comment about stakeholder buy in with the mission statement. I agree with you that if you are to have a successful and effective mission statement it is important for teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, students, and the community to believe in it and be aware of it. The question is, is it possible to involve all stakeholders? For example, Holly Springs High School is a fluid campus. Over the past 5 years, there have been 3 principals, there has been a 50% turnover in staff, and new families are arriving and old families are leaving on a daily basis. It would only take a year for our staff to lose focus of what the mission and vision of the school is. With that said, this is my first year at HSHS and I have no idea what the mission and vision is at the school. However, since this is an accredidation year for HSHS I have to memorize that very statement when the accredidation committee comes to school in the next month.
I am for a mission and vision statement, but I firmly believe it needs to be constantly "sold" to all stakeholders on a regular basis. The mision needs to be more in the form of a slogan or motto. Like in business, successful branding can lead to a successful product. Selling the brand and image of the school is more practical than a one page school vision or mission statement that is hardly read.
Matthew, David H, and Suzanne,
We have been reviewing what our school standards for and what we are looking for in our next principal. I am definitely worried we will get someone whose philosophy doesn’t line up with the staff’s current vision. We spent three hours last week hashing out what our school was looking for and I think what made this process successful was hearing from everyone in our school community. To have staff buy in, a principal needs to combine the school’s vision with their own. Whether this is done through a committee or if ideas are shared during the first faculty meeting then the principal writes it, collaborate needs to occur.
Janice:
I loved your post! I agree with the seven characteristics necessary for viable vision and mission statements. I am very interested in determining how both private and public sectors measure the effectiveness of the documents in relation to the success of their organization. Measurability, in my opinion is not only necessary but critical.
David J.
I too said that the school community needed to be involved in the process of making the vision statement. This is possible for my community because my school only has 600 students and our turnover rate is very low. I can definitely see that as being a problem in your school community.
In the article, A Vision-less Learning Community, Bill Ferriter mentioned that all his school's decisions were connected to the school’s vision statement. Forcing all decisions and policies to be aligned could eliminate a lot of problems. When a decision is questioned, it would be easy for an administrator to defend their position if did wasn’t aligned. Ferriter also stated that a vision statement should have behaviors not beliefs. Behaviors can be measured therefore growth can be measured.
I found the blog by Bill Ferriter interesting. He made some points that are in alignment with what several of the individuals here are trying to say. He talked about how great the school's mission statement was and the various vision statements that were in place help stakeholders understand what the mission should look like. He talks about all the success that the school had.
As I read, I could not help but think to myself that it was not the mission statement that was making the school great, it was the principal and the trust of the staff. The beacon for success was the principal and a tool that he used was a mission statement, not the other way around.
Bill Ferriter went on to state just what I was thinking. Once the principal had left the school, the success of the mission statement was lost.
As Rick DuFour states in reference to the principal as a guardian, "Both their words and their actions convey what must be 'tight' in their schools and districts--those imperatives that all staff members are expected to observe and honor. Furthermore, they do not hesitate to insist that staff act in accordance with the purpose and priorities of the organization. They are vigilant in protecting against the erosion of core values."
Nina,
You said that a lot of time is spent formulating new or different mission statements. Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. It seems as if new administrators, or others in charge, feel the need to change things like this before they get to the things that really matter, like educating the students.
Alvilda, you raise an interesting point when you wrote about new administration and their perspective of the existing mission statement. I believe the statement should be revisited. This does not mean it has to be rewritten, but revisiting the mission statement with staff helps an administrator see who is aware or excited about it.
New administration should acknowledge the existing statement. After all, it is the leader's responsibility to establish a clear vision for the school. More importantly, new leaders must include everyone in a shared vision if they have expectations for the school.
I have always thought that a mission statement is something that is written by people who are not working with kids and the purpose was to make the school look better. However, while doing research, I found schools who have their faculty and staff write the mission statements. The mission statement is regularly changed based on the new direction that the school is going. The school uses the mission statement as a template from which to work but recognizes that it is more of an ideal than a realization.
Susan, I think you are correct in stating that a school's mission statement should be posted. The action of posting the statement is a simple reminder of the vision in which stakeholders strive. Posting a clear and concise mission statement in a visible area serves as a symbolic message to parents and the community that the school is committed to serving its students.
Furthermore, posting a school's mission statement is just as important as posting a learning objective in your classroom. As teacehrs, we write our objectives on the board (or somewhere it can be read). We do this to give students direction and purpose throughout the lesson. I equate posting the school's mission statement to posting your learning objective in your classroom.
Suzanne, your SIT rewrote the school mission statement? Wow!! I don't know if I am agree with that or not. For example, if it was ok for the SIT team to that, can the next SIT team do it again? How often is too often? On the other hand can a mission statement become outdated? I personally think the 2nd Amendment is outdated but others would argue that it transcends time. This is a very interesting conundrum. One final question, if anyone of you were to become a school principal tomorrow at a school and you did not like the vision and/or mission statement, would you be willing to change it?
Alvilda,
Do you believe that schools are in the business of creating a product? The quote you used is great, but I am not sure I believe students to be like "any" product going down an assembly line. Each student is different and vision statements don't always account for the students who are outliers. I wish we could meet the needs of all students by creating a vision/mission statement that spoke to the reason our service existed while defining “why” we are behind education and the impact we wanted to have on our students, but I am not sure it is enough. However, it is a start! And maybe that is what vision/mission statements are....are place to start.
The article is cool....But took me a time to read all comments...
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