a few good visionary leaders?

Why are we doing this??
Hi Rick…Hope this is of use:
Most organisations have a mission statement that describe what an organisation does. While this is important, it is not the first message you need to communicate. First you have to communicate why you exist. What is the need you are meeting? Without an understanding of why you exist, it is more difficult to be inspired by what you are doing. Your “what” lacks passion and reason without the “why”.

An example from Vector Health Programs of Eureka, California, makes the point. Their original mission statement simply described what the organisation does – provide medical programs for people with injuries or other problems with their hands. When asked why, the Director was startled. To her, the reasons why you would have a medical program for injured hands were apparent. She said, “Because people need their hands”. “Why?”. Then she was really startled. “Because people do things with their hands,” she said. When asked to write a mission statement that explains why she wrote:
“Next to the human face, hands are our most expressive feature. We talk with them. We work with them. We play with them. We comfort and love with them. An injury to the hand affects a person professionally and personally. At Vector Health Programs, we give people back the use of their hands.”

This mission statement inspires and motivates. If the mission is the expression of why the organisation exists, the vision is the expression of what the community and the organisation would look like and be like if that need were met. The values are how you get there.

3 Responses

User deleted says:

February 9, 2004 at 4:02 pm

Why are we doing this??
Hi Rick…Hope this is of use:
Most organisations have a mission statement that describe what an organisation does. While this is important, it is not the first message you need to communicate. First you have to communicate why you exist. What is the need you are meeting? Without an understanding of why you exist, it is more difficult to be inspired by what you are doing. Your “what” lacks passion and reason without the “why”.

An example from Vector Health Programs of Eureka, California, makes the point. Their original mission statement simply described what the organisation does – provide medical programs for people with injuries or other problems with their hands. When asked why, the Director was startled. To her, the reasons why you would have a medical program for injured hands were apparent. She said, “Because people need their hands”. “Why?”. Then she was really startled. “Because people do things with their hands,” she said. When asked to write a mission statement that explains why she wrote:
“Next to the human face, hands are our most expressive feature. We talk with them. We work with them. We play with them. We comfort and love with them. An injury to the hand affects a person professionally and personally. At Vector Health Programs, we give people back the use of their hands.”

This mission statement inspires and motivates. If the mission is the expression of why the organisation exists, the vision is the expression of what the community and the organisation would look like and be like if that need were met. The values are how you get there.
TrainingZone says:

February 9, 2004 at 10:08 pm

IT Training visionary – Happy Computers
Henry Stewart from Happy Computers in London is quite a visionary – he has a very clear view of what he wants his company to stand for and is very inspirational. He and his colleagues are also extremely approachable.

Marie Jones
TrainingZone says:

February 11, 2004 at 12:49 pm

Book to read
I could not recommend a better read than
‘Built to last’ by Collins and Porras isbn 07126 7961-8

Sub title ‘Successful habits of visionary companies.’

Its all about why some companies survive and others don’t.