YourImpact Vision, Mission, Values
Every year, I do an important exercise with friends. (You can do this alone too if you are more of an introvert.)
I review my Vision, Mission, Values and ultimately set 3-5 top goals that I want to achieve for the next year.
This exercise is good practice overall for any individual and any organization—but particularly for people who want to have an impact, as we constantly get caught up in the never-ending stream of tactical pieces to be completed, the next immediate milestone. We forget sometimes to take a step back, see the wood from the trees, accept that we are not superheroes, focus just on a few things, and re-adjust our lives or our organizations if needed.
And to help you keep everything together, I have decided to launch myImpact planner – partly because I find this framework so helpful for myself, and partly because I simply love planners and yet despite the Facebook ads which keep targeting me, I can never find a planner I like. Sign up for the newsletter here, I will keep you posted for when it’s ready for 2021, and in the meantime, I will be sharing a couple of the key pages in PDF to get you started.
Here’s how my framework works:
1. Write down yourImpact Vision, Mission, Values. Each should be 1-2 sentences, and exemplify what you are really all about at your core.
Your vision is the world you want to see
Your mission is what you do (or want to do): Your mission should contribute to this vision, although of course the vision is not going to be realized solely by you or your organization.
Your values are what you stand for: your beliefs, how you are going to go about achieving your mission.
In summary, it’s why, what, and how—and each are equally important.
2. Once you have your vision, mission, and values written down – re-read them each month initially and annually after that– do they still hold true? Have they evolved? Do you need to update them?
3. Annual review - How did your actions last year contribute to your mission and vision? Did you live and abide by your values? What did you do well? If not, what were the gaps (and why)? Can you do better this year or do you need to be more realistic?
4. What are you going to do this year to achieve your mission and contribute to your vision? How are you going to stay true to your values?
5. Now prioritize: select the top three priorities to contribute to your mission and vision, and/or to abide by your values. Be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (end of year) i.e. SMART about your annual goals.
6. Who do you need to partner or collaborate with so that they, too can contribute to your vision?
As any of my colleagues at Solve will tell you, achieving your mission alone is not going to be enough; no man or woman or organization is an island and the challenges that the world faces today are complex and multi-sectoral, so you need to find like-minded people to work with you.
7. Maybe the most important step: cleanse, cleanse, cleanse.
As in cleanse any and all activities that are not core to your mission and vision and/or are not in line with your values. All people and relationships, too. They are an energy drain and a distraction, even if for whatever reason they might provide a short-term comfort. It’s ok if that is in fact the hardest step, but it will be harder if you don’t do it.
8. If you lead an organization, are a social entrepreneur, or are a very process-oriented individual, design a work plan, including milestones, activities, deadlines, responsibilities, interdependencies and potential contingencies. (If you are like most individuals, this is probably overkill and might stress you out so go to step 9!)
9. Refer back to your top three priorities and your mission, vision and values at least monthly. Hold yourself accountable but don’t be to too harsh either. Re-adjust your priorities as needed.
