“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.” - Joel Barker
This past year or so has been tough for a lot of people - and for a lot of organizations. Many are struggling to find a job, to find health insurance coverage, to find donors and members. . . Inspiration to seek a better way can be hard when you’re just trying to get through each day, but dreaming of what the future can hold is sometimes the driving force for change.
In the last post we covered Mission Statements - the foundation of your existence and operations. Once you’ve defined who you are, it’s time to move to who you want to be. That’s where a Vision Statement comes in. Your dreams are found in the Vision Statement; how does the future “you” look? The Mission and Vision Statements should tie together so that you don’t veer too far off from one trying to attain the other. Consider this as the destination you want to reach, and let it frame the course and actions you take in planning. (See The Right Path for more on this.)
I have several friends and relatives who have been laid off this past year, and new jobs have not surfaced quickly for them. In the meantime, it has been a chance to step back and reconsider where they’ve been and if that’s the direction they want to keep moving. For some, it has meant going back to school to learn new skills so they can try different professions; for others, it has meant going into business for themselves. For all of them, though, a Vision of what they want has to be foremost in their minds before they determine which course of action to take. Just blasting out resumes to job postings doesn’t cut it in this climate. “Action without vision is simply passing the time.”
Organizations face similar things all the time - not just during a Recession. Donations and memberships wax and wane, and new programs or needs come along that may change your direction and focus. A Vision Statement is crucial to moving forward in a positive direction. You can’t prepare for the future if you don’t know where you want to go. Even children learn that if they “want to be a doctor when they grow up” they have to stay in school and study certain things. If an organization wants to serve an expanding population it needs to plan for increased programs; if it wants to reach a larger membership base, it has to offer better benefits and market to more diverse groups.
Your goals and objectives should help you reach that future Vision, while also fitting with your present-day Mission. These two elements form the core of strong Strategic Planning. They set the stage for your organization’s success. A great stage is just the beginning, though. You’ll still need the “action” that happens on that stage to be effective. As stated above, “Action with Vision is making a positive difference.”
We’ll cover how to combine the Action and Vision in the next post.
Stay tuned. We’ll talk again soon. . .
____________________________________________________
Focus On:
[In the spirit of being “501 Focused,” this blog highlights a nonprofit or association with each posting.]
Our nonprofit focus this time is on the Wesleyan Homes Foundation.
Wesleyan Homes is an inclusive ministry for older adults through the United Methodist Church. They “value older adults as spiritual resources and as independent individuals with dignity and worth, functioning within an interdependent community.”
Gifts to their Benevolent Fund provide assistance so Wesleyan Homes can “continue its mission to provide care for older adults without regard to their ability to pay. In fact, no resident has ever been asked to leave a Wesleyan Homes facility because they could not pay the full cost of their care.”
The need is great and their Vision is clear. To learn more, go here: http://www.wesleyanhomes.org/difference.php
In the last post we covered Mission Statements - the foundation of your existence and operations. Once you’ve defined who you are, it’s time to move to who you want to be. That’s where a Vision Statement comes in. Your dreams are found in the Vision Statement; how does the future “you” look? The Mission and Vision Statements should tie together so that you don’t veer too far off from one trying to attain the other. Consider this as the destination you want to reach, and let it frame the course and actions you take in planning. (See The Right Path for more on this.)
I have several friends and relatives who have been laid off this past year, and new jobs have not surfaced quickly for them. In the meantime, it has been a chance to step back and reconsider where they’ve been and if that’s the direction they want to keep moving. For some, it has meant going back to school to learn new skills so they can try different professions; for others, it has meant going into business for themselves. For all of them, though, a Vision of what they want has to be foremost in their minds before they determine which course of action to take. Just blasting out resumes to job postings doesn’t cut it in this climate. “Action without vision is simply passing the time.”
Organizations face similar things all the time - not just during a Recession. Donations and memberships wax and wane, and new programs or needs come along that may change your direction and focus. A Vision Statement is crucial to moving forward in a positive direction. You can’t prepare for the future if you don’t know where you want to go. Even children learn that if they “want to be a doctor when they grow up” they have to stay in school and study certain things. If an organization wants to serve an expanding population it needs to plan for increased programs; if it wants to reach a larger membership base, it has to offer better benefits and market to more diverse groups.
Your goals and objectives should help you reach that future Vision, while also fitting with your present-day Mission. These two elements form the core of strong Strategic Planning. They set the stage for your organization’s success. A great stage is just the beginning, though. You’ll still need the “action” that happens on that stage to be effective. As stated above, “Action with Vision is making a positive difference.”
We’ll cover how to combine the Action and Vision in the next post.
Stay tuned. We’ll talk again soon. . .
____________________________________________________
Focus On:
[In the spirit of being “501 Focused,” this blog highlights a nonprofit or association with each posting.]
Our nonprofit focus this time is on the Wesleyan Homes Foundation.
Wesleyan Homes is an inclusive ministry for older adults through the United Methodist Church. They “value older adults as spiritual resources and as independent individuals with dignity and worth, functioning within an interdependent community.”
Gifts to their Benevolent Fund provide assistance so Wesleyan Homes can “continue its mission to provide care for older adults without regard to their ability to pay. In fact, no resident has ever been asked to leave a Wesleyan Homes facility because they could not pay the full cost of their care.”
The need is great and their Vision is clear. To learn more, go here: http://www.wesleyanhomes.org/difference.php
Sometimes we don't prioritise our actions.
ReplyDelete