Summary
A vision statement is a preferred future, a desirable state, and an ideal state. It is an expression of optimism. It is a dream, created in our waking hours, of what we want the organization to be. We dare to dream the possible. Because we choose to pursue our vision in the marketplace, it needs to be both strategies and lofty (credit to Peter Block, ‘The Empowered Manager,’ for the definition of a vision). A mission statement states the purpose of the organization. This states why the organization is in business, and it is more focused than a vision. A credo is a statement of beliefs, core principles or ‘values’ that are important to an organization and its people.
This resource contains examples of mission and vision statements from a number of employee-owned companies, including Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Whole Foods, King Arthur Flour, and more.