Remember the goal statement on your resume? The one that goes something like this: to excel in my role and serve an organisation to the best of my abilities.
It’s so general that it doesn’t tell the reader anything distinct about you. What a potential employer would like to know is how do you intend to excel in your role and what role are you talking about.
A vision statement is a bit like this goal statement – redundant if it seems general, but says a lot about your company if written well.
A good vision statement should tell your audience about your enterprise’s larger dreams, the ‘big’ goal that motivates it. It should give readers an idea about the field of your work and what you wish to achieve. Is it healthcare, entertainment, sports or food? Do you want to fight malnutrition and make children healthier? Do you want to see affordable, digital entertainment systems in every house? Or do you want to be the company synonymous with luxury holidays?
Ford once had a vision statement that read: democratize the automobile. A simple statement without fancy words or fluff; yet powerful enough to motivate.
Vision statements don’t have to sound serious and stuffy. They just need to state the big dream in simple words. John F Kennedy stated his vision in the 1960s in very simple terms – we will put a man on the moon and return him safely within the decade.
An effective vision statement has clarity of thought and is specific to your organisation. Leave out the descriptors – innovative, exemplary, superior – and the general pegs – products and services, serve people, and so on – unless you can qualify them. If you want to bring innovation to the garment industry, talk of how it translates into gains for customers. Is it affordable, easy-to-maintain clothing for everyone? Or is to make khadi a fabric of desire for all?
And, don’t fret if you don’t have a vision statement yet. If your company and your team have a vision, an inspiration, and a goal to work towards, it’s just a matter of articulating it right.
