TL;DR
- A mission describes what an organisation does now. A vision describes a future state it is trying to reach, which is why a vision needs a horizon and a mission does not.
- The National Archives publishes both, and dates the vision: its mission is “to collect and preserve the public record”, while “our 2038 vision is for The National Archives to be the living digital archive of the state”.
- The quickest test of a draft is whether it could already be true today. If it could, you have written a description or a slogan rather than a vision.
Most vision statements are written in a workshop, agreed by exhaustion, and could equally belong to any organisation in the sector. The words are fine. The problem is that nothing in them could ever be said to have happened.
This article sets out what a vision statement is, how it differs from a mission, two real published examples, the test that separates a vision from a slogan, and a template you can fill in.
A vision only matters if it reaches this year's objectives. See how New Dynamics goals and OKRs connect the two.
Vision, mission, purpose
- Mission: what the organisation does, now. Cambridge Dictionary defines a mission statement as "a short written description of the aims of a business, charity, government department, or public organization".
- Vision: the future state it is working towards. Because it describes a future, it needs a date, or at least a horizon.
- Purpose: who benefits, and how. Usually the shortest of the three and the hardest to write.
Values sit alongside all three and describe behaviour rather than direction. Our post on corporate values covers those separately.
Two real examples
The National Archives publishes both, and the pair is unusually clear. Its strategy pages state that its mission "is to collect and preserve the public record, to connect citizens with their history through unrivalled collections and to partner with archives everywhere".
Then the vision, with a date attached: "in 2038 we will celebrate the bicentenary of the founding of the Public Record Office, and our 2038 vision is for The National Archives to be the living digital archive of the state". The strategy is described as charting "our path to making that vision a reality, setting out clear choices and priorities".
Three things are worth copying. The vision names a future condition (the living digital archive of the state) rather than an aspiration to excellence. It carries a horizon. And it is explicitly connected to choices and priorities rather than left as a sentiment.
The Met Office shows the other useful move, which is writing the statement as an outcome for other people. Its description of who we are refers to "our purpose of helping people stay safe and thrive". Not a description of forecasting. A description of what changes for the public because forecasting happens.
The test
Read your draft and ask whether it could already be true today.
If it could ("to be a trusted partner to our customers", "to deliver excellent service") you have written a description of current intent, which is a mission at best and usually a slogan. A vision should be false right now, plausibly true later, and obviously different from the present.
A second test: could a competitor put their name on it? If yes, it says nothing about you.
What a good one contains
- A future condition, stated as though describing that future rather than wishing for it.
- A horizon, so somebody can eventually say whether it happened.
- Something specific to you, which usually means naming the thing you do that others do not.
- Plain words, because the statement has to survive being repeated by people who did not write it.
What it does not need: adjectives, three clauses joined by "and", or the words world-class, leading or innovative.
A template
Fill in the fields, then write the sentence. Do not start with the sentence.
By [horizon], we will be [the future condition, described plainly] for [who it is for], so that [what is different for them].
Worked through, that gives you four decisions to argue about (the date, the condition, the beneficiary and the effect) instead of one paragraph to wordsmith. Arguments about the date and the beneficiary are the useful ones, and they are the ones a workshop usually skips.
Then cut the sentence down. The National Archives' version is fourteen words and does the job.
Personal vision statements
The same structure works for an individual, with one change: the beneficiary is usually you, so the "so that" clause has to work harder.
By [horizon], I will be [the role, level or capability], so that [what that makes possible].
The common failure is writing a job title. "To be a director" is a destination, not a vision, and it stops being useful the day you arrive. "To be the person my team brings the difficult problems to" is checkable, which makes it more uncomfortable and more useful. Our post on personal development goals covers turning that into something with dates on it.
Where the legal purposes sit
For a charity, the vision is not the governing document. The objects are, and they have legal force. The Charity Commission's guidance for trustees says trustees "should also review the charity's objects from time to time and make sure that they are still appropriate, relevant and up to date", because "circumstances change over time".
So a charity has three layers: objects, which are legal; a mission, which describes the work; and a vision, which describes where it is going. Rewriting the third does not change the first. This is general information rather than legal advice.
What goes wrong
- No horizon. Nothing can be said to have happened, so nothing is reviewed.
- Written by committee. Every objection gets accommodated, and the result says nothing.
- Never used again. A vision that does not appear in planning or objective setting is decoration. Our strategic planning post covers making that connection.
- Confused with values. Values are about behaviour; a vision is about direction. Organisations that merge them get a list of adjectives.
- Copied from the sector. If it would fit a competitor, it is not yours.
Frequently asked questions
What is a vision statement?
A short description of the future state an organisation is working towards. Because it describes a future rather than the present, a useful vision statement carries a horizon and could not truthfully be said of the organisation today.
What is the difference between a vision and a mission statement?
A mission describes what the organisation does now; Cambridge Dictionary calls it a short written description of an organisation's aims. A vision describes where it is trying to get to. The National Archives publishes both, with its vision explicitly dated.
What are examples of vision statements?
The National Archives states that its vision is for it to be the living digital archive of the state, attached to a specific year. The Met Office describes its purpose as helping people stay safe and thrive, which is written as an outcome for the public rather than a description of what the organisation does.
How do you write a vision statement?
Decide four things first: the horizon, the future condition, who it is for and what is different for them. Then write one plain sentence and cut it down. Deciding the date and the beneficiary produces the useful arguments.
What is a personal vision statement?
The same structure applied to an individual: by a given point, the capability or role you intend to have, and what that makes possible. Writing a job title rather than a capability is the usual mistake, because it stops being useful once you get there.
How long should a vision statement be?
One sentence. The National Archives' vision runs to fourteen words. If it needs two sentences joined by "and", it is probably two visions, and the organisation has not chosen yet.
Is a vision statement the same as a charity's objects?
No. A charity's objects sit in its governing document and have legal force, and the Charity Commission expects trustees to review them periodically. A vision describes direction and can be rewritten freely; the objects cannot.
Your next step: test what you have
- Read your current vision and ask whether it could already be true today.
- Ask whether a competitor could use it unchanged.
- Add a horizon, or admit you have written a mission.
- Check where it appears in this year's objectives. If it appears nowhere, that is the real problem.
For turning a direction into objectives people can act on, read and download our OKR guide. The guide is free to read, and the PDF uses our short download form.
Want the vision connected to the objectives people actually work on? Book a New Dynamics demo and bring your current statement. You can also email contact@new-dynamics.com.
