Actually, the difference between mission and vision is quite simple. They are very clearly definable and defined terms. Actually. And yet many companies get it wrong, including large and supposedly very professional companies. So what is the difference between mission and vision?
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Examples: Not a mission! Not a vision!
Audi
Audi presents the following statement on its website as its mission: Consistently Audi. In German, they call it Konsequent Audi.
Sorry, that is not a mission!
Audi names its vision as: Unleash the beauty of sustainable mobility. They call it that on the German website too. And here as well, this contradicts the definition used by most experts. That is not a vision. Interestingly, it is more a kind of mission. The verb „unleash“ already suggests that.
Ford
Anyone applying to Ford and asking what Ford’s mission and vision are gets the following answer:
One team, one plan, one goal. One Ford is FMC’s mission and vision.
I find something like that incomprehensible. At the most fundamental level, this is one of the reasons why I do not see a good future for Ford and would not buy its shares. It is neither a mission nor a vision. It is extremely ignorant to try to cover two entirely different concepts with a single statement.
IKEA
At IKEA, you read: Our Vision: To create a better everyday life for the many people.
I am sorry, but that is not a vision either. It is a mission.
Difference between mission and vision: clarity through clear definitions
You could say that it is completely irrelevant how mission and vision are defined. The main thing is that there are statements about strategy.
I consider that dangerous and costly. We might just as well say that it does not matter whether we call something a task or a goal.
No, if you call the task a goal and the goal a task, you confuse people. They then work with less motivation, less focus on goals, and less consistency.
A clear mission and an equally clear vision are meant to create orientation, provide direction, and offer meaning. And for that, we need clear definitions and an unquestionable shared understanding within the company.
We have today, which is the present, and we have the future ahead of us.
A mission is the promise of impact that a company consistently delivers for its customers.
It applies today and continues to apply until we change it. It drives us and it guides us.
Examples of professionally and substantively well-crafted missions
HubSpot
At HubSpot, they say: Our mission is to make the world INBOUND. Inbound means that marketing no longer works outbound like a loudspeaker and sales no longer puts customers under pressure. Instead, you make yourself so interesting and attractive to customers that they come of their own accord. Inbound, from the outside in.
TESLA
TESLA’s mission is: Accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable transport and energy. A great mission, which they have essentially already fulfilled.
More on TESLA: How much is a motivating and future-robust mission and vision worth in euros?
SpaceX
SpaceX’s mission is: To make humankind a multiplanetary species. The special thing is that the vision can also be derived from this mission. It is not the same thing, it is not in one statement, but the ‚multiplanetary species‘ is then the vision to be achieved.
These are three examples of professionally and substantively well-crafted missions. In our Future Strategy Program, we work with our clients time and again to develop exactly that: a truly future-robust mission and a motivating vision
In contrast to the mission, the vision is a concrete picture of a fascinating, shared, aspired-to and achievable future of a person or a company. It always lies in the future, and realising it represents a positive challenge.
Examples of professionally and substantively well-crafted visions
Amazon
Amazon’s vision is: Our vision is to be earth’s most customer centric company.
Microsoft
Microsoft’s former vision was: A personal computer in every home running Microsoft software.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines’ vision: To become the world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline.
Difference between mission and vision in comparison
What matters is this: you should not derive your mission from your vision. The mission is not there only to fulfil your vision. The mission comes first because it defines your company. Therefore, develop your vision from your mission.
It is also important to know that a mission and a vision must never consist only of that one sentence. Every word in them must be well explained and justified.
And now what?
Now review your own mission and vision. For your life or for your company.
Make sure you do not confuse your colleagues and employees and thereby achieve the opposite of what you actually want to achieve. Give your employees clear orientation on the two core questions:
Mission: Why do we exist?
Vision: Where do we want to go?
I wish you a brilliant future!
Have a bright future!