Creating a vision statement for your advancement program is a helpful step in becoming more effective.
If the advancement mission statement is focused on our purpose, or what we do, the vision statement is focused on what we are aiming to achieve, or why we are doing what we do.
Our vision statement should be inspirational, ambitious, hopeful, concise, and should define the optimal and desired future state we aim to achieve. It should provide guidance for organizational decisions for the longer term – 5 or 10 years from now – and, it should help all team members understand what their work ultimately is helping to accomplish.
The rub, though, is that a vision statement can have 2 different concentrations or focal points. Our vision can either be outward or inward.
An outward vision statement is one that seeks to enhance the broader world. An example of an outward vision statement would be Habitat for Humanity’s:
A world where everyone has a decent place to live.
An inward vision statement is one that seeks to enhance ourselves and our work. An example of an inward vision statement would be Southwest Airlines’:
To be the world’s most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline.
Both statements are ambitious, hopeful, concise, and define an optimal and desired future state. There is nothing wrong with either statement.
I would suggest, though, that Habitat’s vision will inspire people to view their work more as a calling and less as a career.
There are 2 types of vision statements. Choose wisely.
This article was originally posted on Jason’s Blog in April 2023. To read more, visit www.jasonmcneal.com.
