When I first sat down to write our company’s mission and vision, I realized something uncomfortable: I didn’t actually know the difference.
Everyone seemed to have a different definition. Some used the terms interchangeably. Others made them sound overly academic. So I made a decision: I’d define them in a way that was useful to us.
Our Working Definitions
Mission was the everyday reason we existed—a guide for how we show up now. Vision was our destination—a clear, compelling picture of where we were headed.
My personal mission was simple: To improve as many lives as I can before I leave this Earth. Our company’s mission mirrored that spirit: To improve the lives of all five stakeholder groups—our shareholders, customers, associates, suppliers, and communities.
For vision, we aimed higher: To be the best in the business at delivering collaborative technology solutions to industry-leading technology companies. And yes, it was intentionally broad. We weren’t yet in a position to be specific. We needed something inspiring and directional before we could get too tactical.
Why Not Be More Specific?
The truth? We weren’t ready.
We were still evolving—as a business and as a leadership team. The specificity would come later. What we needed first was a unifying idea that could:
- Help people see the bigger picture,
- Invite aspiration, and
- Allow us to grow into it.
When I talked to our associates about our vision, I often swapped in “best in the world” for “best in the business.” That language lit them up. It gave them something to reach for.
And slowly, something began to shift. People started connecting their work to something larger than quarterly numbers. They began to believe.
So How Do You Measure That?
Mission and vision are tricky to measure—but not impossible.
Yes, we had hard metrics: earnings, delivery times, quality KPIs. And those mattered. But we also listened carefully to what our stakeholders were telling us:
- Were customers advocating for us?
- Were employees growing and staying?
- Were we attracting aligned partners?
- Were our communities better off because we were there?
That qualitative feedback, combined with quantitative results, became our compass.
Reflection Questions
- Can you clearly articulate the difference between your mission and vision?
- Are they both alive in your organization—or just hanging on a wall?
- What signals do you use to know if you’re living your mission and making progress on your vision?
In the next post, I’ll unpack how a few carefully chosen operating guidelines helped us turn values into everyday action—and begin transforming our culture from the inside out.