Are clear and compelling mission and vision statements necessary for an organization (school, business, non-profit) to be highly successful? Why or why not? If possible, cite non-anecdotal evidence to support your position.
I think that clear and compelling mission and vision statements are essential for organizations to be successful. The mission and the vision statements tell employees and community members what the organization is all about and the goals that the organization plans to accomplish. Leading an organization without a clear mission and vision opens the door for individuals to establish their own agendas which can cause confusion and chaos. We often hear leaders use slogans like "get on the bus" to motivate employees to work to accomplish the same goals. However, employees and stakeholders likely want to know where the leadership would like to go. The mission and vision statements should answer this question in order for an organization to be successful. In my mind, a successful organizational leader answers this question through their actions which should align with the written mission and vision statements.
I think that having a clear and compelling mission and vision statement is essential to organizational success. The mission and vision statement articulate to the stakeholders the direction of the organization, gives purpose and defines the objectives of the organization and how those objectives will be measured towards success. I think that any business expects to grow, and therefore, it would be difficult to measure growth if there are no clearly defined expectations and values. Mission and vision statements communicate expectations of behavior in “how things are done around here”, and leaders should model that behavior so as to create a caring, empowering and inspiring environment. Having no mission or vision statement would be symbolic of a “loose cannon”, everyone doing his/her own thing.
Yes; I think having a clear organizational mission and vision statement is vital and necessary for the organization to be successful. If an organization has no mission, it does not have clearly defined goals or expectations that the organization should be working towards, thus people will be inclined to do what they feel is best for them instead of what is best for the organization. Without a vision statement, the organization has no clue as to what the desired end result should look like. On the other hand, if there are clear goals and expectations and a clear vision and mission statement established before the organization begins its work, then everyone will hopefully be on the same page of working towards the same end result. Dr. Shainker taught us in the last class that sometimes you should embrace ambiguity and sometimes you should stir clear of ambiguity and in this case, ambiguity is definitely not helpful. For an example, in our PLC meetings at school, last year, we immediately began working on creating a writing assessment. However, we did not discuss what specific skills we were measuring the students on, how heavily the assessment would weight, etc. Therefore, each member of the group wanted to do what they thought would be easiest for them to grade rather than what was in the best interest of the students; of course, this caused chaos and confusion. Had the PLC group set up some guidelines from the start, then maybe the disagreements and chaos could have been avoided. This is why I feel that vision and mission statement are valuable to an organization’s success.
I think it is necessary to have a vision for anything you want to do in life; this applies if you’re a school, business or even a non-profit. I look at vision as the big picture of what you want for the future. Your vision should encompass your mission, values, goals and objectives. Vision is the mother of your organization’s mission. It is my opinion that your mission is the nuts and bolts of the vision. Mission is who, what and why of your business (or personal) existence. I feel an organization needs to have both vision and mission; however, vision needs to be had from the very beginning. The organization’s mission can be defined later after the vision has been laid out and the organization can decide on the who, what and why they want to service. I also think the vision should be highly developed and defined so your organization never loses site of it. Conversely, the mission should have the ability to change and be flexible as variables in the vision come and go.
"The mission of Carrington Middle School is to bring students, teachers, parents, and community together to provide a safe environment where all students make continuous progress academically, socially, and developmentally." This is the mission statement for the school that I have worked for the last eight years. Are clear and compelling mission and vision statements necessary for an organization (school, business, non-profit) to be highly successful? I believe they are, but only when they are used as frameworks to express to the entire school community (staff, students, parents, community leaders) who and what the organization would like the students and the school to be. Many times, mission statements will tell who the school community is, what they do, and what they value, but in reality, if schools need the improvement that we all believe they do, than a mission statement shouldn't be about what the school is, but what the school should be. Carrington's statement does that I believe. Is it the living document it should be? Not really. We don't revisit it throughout the year, or at the end of the year, and other than being on our agendas and newsletters, it doesn't come up much. If a mission statement is to be worth the paper it's written on, then the school should be striving to become what they want to become, achieving what they want to achieve, and should have ways to hold itself accountable for progressing towards successfully achieving their goals. I believe that a mission statement has to be a common set of beliefs that school communities can use to motivate them when they get caught up in the little stuff that comes up everyday. Decisions about the school and the school personnel can be guided by the mission statements. An article that I read from "Education World" says that, "The clearer a school is about its mission the more successful it will be. It can be the focal point for learning, it can guide activities and assist in hiring the right people. Powerful mission statements give people a sense of purpose and passion. They should inspire and have meaning for the whole school community. They can be a framework for making decisions and building relationships. A mission statement and vision reflects what has heart and meaning within the school." (Education World, 2009) At Carrington, we work hard everyday to "provide a safe environment where all students make continuous progress academically, socially, and developmentally." Yes, mission statements and visions are very important to schools and businesses, but in order to truly succeed in living the vision of the school, there must be continuous reflection to determine what progress is being made, and if something is not working, what can be done differently to change the outcome. By having, several times a year, meetings where every staff member has in their hands a copy of the mission statement, where it is read and discussed thoroughly and then figuring out how the school is or is not fulfilling its vision and then working hard to correct the shortfalls will make the school successful in reaching its goals. At the end of the year it will be easier to reflect about the progress and the setbacks that have occurred and what the school will need to do the next year to fulfill its vision. ~Camille Marlowe
I agree with Ryan. An organization of any sort has to have a mission before they can even begin to operate effectively because if not then the organization wouldn’t be aware of which direction it should be headed. Also, I agree that a mission is something that does not stay the same. Over time, as the school achieves some of its goals, the mission is going to have to reflect the changes and be revamped to focus on new areas of improvement.
Debra, you said that "leaders should model that behavior so as to create a caring, empowering and inspiring environment." What about the other stakeholders...teachers, students, parents? I wonder how many people really could recite their company's, school's, organization's mission statement. I don't think very many would be able to do that. When I asked here at school it seemed like most knew the pat answer, "All students can learn." There has to be a way to effectively make the mission and vision a living document that all of the stakeholders know, acknowledge, support, and follow. Do you think that your school's mission statement is effective? Do you talk about it at every faculty meeting? I know we don't at Carrington! Camille
I see a mission statement as a symbol. The mission statement symbolizes the organization's vision and values. I also believe that most mission statements are produced by at the district or school level out of necessity. I certainly do not know my school's mission statement. In my opinion, it is somewhat like the school improvement plan: produce it to CYA for the next three years when it is time to produce a new plan. In this regard, I agree with Camille. Rarely is the mission the driving force at meetings, PD's, or PLC's. I think the SIP should be a point of detailed focus where each member is working to contribute to the various components of it: reading goals, math goals, safety goals, etc. While I do not know our mission or SIP verbatim, I tend to agree with Amatullah that the actions should nonverbally communicate that mission or the drive to be better. Michael
Thanks Camille for your comment. Certainly, I think that every person (parents, students, teachers, other stakeholders)that has a stake in the school should have clearly defined expectations. I also think that it is important that as adults and professionals that we help our students understand the vision. In doing so, we model the behavior that we expect of our students. Through our model, we create student leaders who are then models of other students.
I find it a little maddening that the lingo often rolls vision and mission into the same thing. When an organization does that, it gives me the impression they 1) don't know what they're doing; or 2) are just doing what they think they need to do or say.
I see the vision as who or what you want to be and the mission as the starting point of getting there. Both should be very short statements (one or two sentences). As several said, the mission should change as the organization changes. IMO healthy organizations should review their mission statements every year.
Yes I think that it is imperative for the success of any organization to have both a vision and a mission statement.
A vision statement should succinctly state the intended future state of an organization. The mission statement should define the fundamental purpose of the organization and state how that organization plans to achieve its vision. After reading several vision and mission statements, most tend to be a collection of very general statements. In my opinion, well thought out and well crafted statements that are precise and concise will assist the reader in understanding how their individual contribution may impact the achievement of the organization’s vision. As individuals increase their understanding of the vision, the organization also increases its probability of success. An organization that knows where it is going has a better chance of getting there.
The vision and mission statements should be an “evergreen” document and should be evaluated on an annual basis or more frequently if needed. By keeping this document fresh, it helps to keep the vision in the organization’s face. By keeping the vision at the forefront, the organization’s leader is symbolically saying that the vision is a priority and it is important. And what is urgent and important tends to be the thing that gets the most attention and resources.
I somewhat agree with Kate. A mission statement should not be extremely long because you don't want to be overly ambitious. Focusing on too many things at one time could be biting off more than you can chew. Therefore sometimes KISS (keep it simple stupid)and moving on is better than trying to over do it.
I agree with Ryan’s comment about the importance of an organization’s flexibility and ability to adjust with changing variables. Change within any organization is inevitable and must be considered while devising the mission and vision statements. There will likely be changes in the staff, student population, and leadership. Tiffany commented about the importance of ambiguity and I think this is where ambiguity is most practical. Ambiguity makes it easier for appropriate changes to be made with the changing variables in mind.
Kate, you are right. Many organizations do confuse and/or use vision and mission interchangeably. Let me make sure it's clear to me...Vision is where you want the organization to go or the result you want to see and mission is how you are going to get to the vision???
Regardless, an organization should have a clear one or the other. The issue is when organizations just put visions and missions up and no one really knows what the vision or mission is or the people working in the organization don't have a say in the creation of the mission and/or vision.
In all this, I think the main focus needs to be the goals and the objectives. It's nice to have the broad strokes, but people also need the game plan. IMO the goals are the concrete outcomes you want and the objectives are the pieces on the way and the action plan is how you are actually going to achieve everything If you spend all your time on worrying about how your mission sounds sometimes you miss the crucial details
I agree with Amattaluh, leaders should make the vision plain and not try to lead people off cliches and blind optimism. Employees need direction and it's great when they have a say in the direction. Further, ambiguous amd general visions and mission just do not work for me. They may lend themselves for flexibility, but they are generally empty words.
Aside from my school's mission and vision, I'm going to try "get on the bus", though...(lol)
Now, what am I going to write for this 3rd blog post...
Rick Andrews I believe that a clear and compelling mission and vision statement is more of a necessary documentation, than a blue print for success for an organization. The posting of mission and vision statements is considered a functional tactic, rather than a strategic manifesto of an agency or organization. Mission and vision statement(s) serve as functional tactics, by providing a comprehensive, but yet ambiguous explanation of an organization or school’s goal or intention. Consequently, the ambiguity that the mission and vision statement may entail operates as a safety zone, in order to not be completely constricted to any specific area of the statement that someone my specifically target. Nevertheless, compelling mission and vision statement can serve as a morale booster for a school or agency, as it can be an instrument for unity and togetherness. The collaborative effort(s) of subordinates and leaders in developing a mission or vision statement allows people to take “stock” within the school or organization. Although I do not think that a mission/vision statement correlates the success of a school or organization, it does provide directions for its goal or objective.
Rick makes an interesting point in his posting. He states he does not think that a mission/vision statement correlates the success of a school or organization, but it does provide directions for its goal and objective. I agree with him that the "perfect" mission/vision statement does not guarantee success but in the words of Debra, having no mission or vision statement would be symbolic of a “loose cannon”, everyone doing his/her own thing. With everyone running off in their own direction, things will get accomplished but certainly not in an efficient manner.
I think that clear and compelling mission and vision statements are necessary for organizations to be highly successful. A mission statement is the purpose of why an organization is created or exists. The vision statement is an image of what could be (hopes or aspirations). I know that administrators and faculty spend a lot of time and effort in generating mission and vision statements that identify the goals, policies, and aspirations for their school communities. I believe that having a hand in writing and or creating the mission statement increases the sense of ownership. I believe that having clear mission statements helps with facilitating decision making. I also believe that the statements should be reviewed and revised periodically by the administrator and the faculty. I think school leaders should refer to the mission statements when they are making any school based decisions. I believe that the mission and vision statements are reminders to the faculty of what they are working towards when there are frustrations and disappointments and this goes for any person working for any organization. It is important for any organization to have a clear and compelling mission and vision statement. I think that people get so wrapped up in different issues within their work organization that they need to be reminded of where we are trying to go! For school organizations that should be student achievement.
I really appreciated the comments made by Karen and Keith. I also believe that mission and vision statements can be beneficial. Mission/vision statements have the potential to make an impact on achievement as long as school leaders incorporate these ideals into evaluations/observations, professional development, extracurricular activities, etc. In my experience, this does not happen often. I believe an outsider observing most schools would be hard pressed to identify a school's mission statement by observing every class in the school.
While I believe mission/vision statements can be useful, I don't believe they are necessary to realize successful outcomes. I could be completely wrong, but I would bet that few Microsoft employees, Princeton professors, or New York Yankees could state their organization's mission or vision statements. I would also bet that most teachers at successful area public schools could not state their school's mission statement.
Success in education is often defined by the strength of relationships. Good teachers have unique strategies that work with different students; and these strategies may not always be aligned with a school's mission/vision.
"Success in education is often defined by the strength of relationships. Good teachers have unique strategies that work with different students; and these strategies may not always be aligned with a school's mission/vision." I agree with this statement from Matt. In the book, On Being a Teacher: The Human Dimension by J. Kottler, S. Zehm and E. Kottler, Corwin Press, 2005, the first three chapters are about being a superlative teacher. The chapters outline what great teachers do, how they act, how they live. Chapter one is called "On Being a Teacher", Chapter two is "On Being a Learner" and Chapter three is "On Being a Relationship Specialist". In reading this book, you read the words student achievement, No Child Left Behind legislation, but you don't find words like mission statements and visions. You find words like compassion, respect, flexibility, sense of humor, patience, human spirit, nurturer...you get the picture. I think Matt's statement defines what we know in our hearts. In a lot of schools, the mission statements state the obvious, the vision statement states the obvious and the success of the school is realized by how well teachers and other adults are able to reach their students on a human level. College students report that their professors "are very smart, but can't teach," in a recent study done by Time magazine, but aren't they really saying that they don't really know their professors on a human level, so they can't relate to them? Have you ever heard a teacher say she was sick of kids, or even hated kids? I have. I'm not sure any mission statement or vision statement would be realized with attitudes like that. They are important, but they must be living documents within the organization, and all stakeholders must be aware of and practice using what the mission statement has determined is valued and is important. Camille
Lots of theoretical language here: mission and vision statements are great, they drive an organization, without them there would be chaos, etc.
But is there really chaos without powerful visions or missions? Camille said that her school's mission statement is "To bring students, teachers, parents, and community together to provide a safe environment where all students make continuous progress academically, socially, and developmentally." That's a pretty generic statement, much like most schools, and it seems to allow a lot of latitude for contradictory actions: one teacher believes failing grades give kids the kind of kick in the pants they need to progress academically, another teacher believes failing grades allow students to avoid work and so she holds every student accountable for completing every assignment, no matter when it's done.
Does chaos reign at Carrington?
And when are we developing all of these inspirational and organization-driving mission, vision, and values statements? At 3:30 one day after school at a monthly faculty meeting? What if the faculty fights and doesn't agree?
I don't think that having a mission and/or vision statement alone is going to determine an organization's success. However, this is a starting point in defining what an organization stands for. We've all heard it said, "If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything." I honestly believe that a leader must make a clear statement about what the organization stands for and where he/she wants the organization to go. Will making this statement alone make the organization successful? Absolutely not! However, not making the statement at all opens the door to interpretation and room for creation by others. Again, I think these statements are the starting point and allow the blueprint to be devised. The goals, hiring policies, procedures, etc. should all be aligned with these documents if they indeed define what the organizations purpose is and where the organization wants to go.
Again, as many above have said, the actions of all within an organization and the relationships that are built will determine success. I completely echo Ricks sentiments: "I believe that a clear and compelling mission and vision statement is more of a necessary documentation, than a blue print for success for an organization. The posting of mission and vision statements is considered a functional tactic." These statements are produced because in order to appease some higher power. Work ethic, attitude, and committment will drive a school's success, not some statement. As Rick said, they are necessary. The rhetoric is that the mission or vision are crucial to the organization, however, the reality is that the statements are conjured and left to decay.
While it may be clear that a mission and vision statement alone do not guarantee the success of an organization, I firmly believe that they are key elements to defining and providing organizational structure and direction. Most of us, perhaps not written, do have some type of mission/vision statement that we use to operate even in our daily lives. Try planning a trip to drive to a state unknown to you. It is unlikely that many of us would approach the idea without first, having a purpose for traveling, expectations of what can or should happen along the way, what the expected outcome should be and a map to direct and guide. This is no different in an organization; mission/vision statements serve to provide purpose, direction and expectations. I think that it is clearer when the mission/vision is written; therefore, those involved have some written document that serves as a baseline that they can refer back to as a reminder of the intended goal. I am reminded as I reflect to: Write the vision, make it plain, that they may run and not faint.
I believe that having a clear mission and vision statement are essential to an organization being successful. If you take a look at any successful business, no matter what the industry may be, they all contain a mission and vision statement. In my opinion, this is the foundationthat your organization is built on.
If vision and mission statements are key elements to an organization's success, as a future building level supervisor, is it reasonable to expect that teachers will have a vision and mission statement for their individual classrooms?
IMO, mission and vision are often much ado about nothing. I have been subbing almost every school in the Durham and Chapel Hill Schools and I would be hard pressed to tell you what their specific vision statements are. What does become very clear, however, is which schools actually have a plan for success and which ones are operating by the seat of their pants, irregardless of what it says on their walls.
More than vision and mission is the culture of the school. What is conveyed when you walk in the door? As an administrator I want to know my school's strengths and weakness and use those to build both long and short range plans that support the success of all children
Rick, Thank you to those that supported my statement. I don't want to give the impression that i'm against mission and vision statement, because I'm not, like I stated before I think it is a functional tactic. Something to think about, when is a mission or/vision statement conjured or devised? Is it before an organization is built or after? My guess is after an organizationor agency is built. Therefore, it nullifies the metaphor that a mission/vision statement being a blueprint.
Keith raises a great question about individual classrooms. While I don't have enough research to answer either way, it made me think of another question. Consider a school that recently created a mission or vision statement. If selected as the next principal of that school, how do you proceed if your vision for a school is not in line with the existing vision?
One interesting point that is being raised is the difference between an organizational mission and vision, versus an individual (i.e., one person's) mission and vision.
Which school do you believe is more likely to falter or underperform: the one in which the school lacks a clear and compelling mission and vision, or the one in which the principal lacks a clear and compelling mission and vision?
Yes, but I do feel there is a huge difference between the words clear and compelling. Clarity is something that organizations absolutely need if they are going to be highly successful. It is clarity that enables people to see what the mission/vision looks like. It is clarity that provides the means through which the vision/mission will be achieved. The word compelling usually involves emotion. What is compelling today might not be compelling tomorrow. It is inevitable that organizations will change. Although the word compelling can spark a sense of passion, clarity will always provide the goal of a mission.
I tend to agree with what Mike outlined. Mission statements, in my mind and from my experience,s tend to be symbolic and are created because it is a part of what an organization does. What continues to roll through my mind is the idea of "ambiguity" which we discussed extensively in a previous class. Given who I am as a leader, I like to outline things clearly so that everyone involved understands what a mission statement would be. However, is it possible that everyone will understand a statement in the same way? Is it also possible that people could think they understand a statement correctly, when in reality they have a different understanding. What are the effects of a person disagreeing with a mission statement when they are already an integral part of an organization and are not likely to go away.
I am curious as to the possible benefit of a slightly ambiguous mission statement. I wonder if having a few statements that could be interpreted in slightly different ways might help to allow more people to feel more closely connected with the organization or to feel as if their views are valued.
To answer Dr. G's last question, I could see where a school that lacks a mission and vision could falter. If everyone working within the school (organization) does not buy into the mission/vision, then the school may not reach its ultimate goal (not that any school ever does). It has been my experience that a principal that lacks a clear and compelling mission/vision is a recipe for disaster. I watched a middle school go from being the cream of the crop in the county to the laughing stock in less than one year. This occurred due to a change in the principal's seat. The new administrator thought that the school would continue to excel because of its past history. Because the new principal lacked leadership and failed to continue the mission through his own vision, the school went into the crapper. I'm sure there is a better way to say it, but the school went down hill in a hurry. He failed to continue the academic standards in place, failed to enforce discipline; and in doing all of this, plus more, he failed the students, staff, and community. Seriously, it was actually quite amazing how he pulled off such a disaster in such a short amount of time. So, in my opinion, a leader who lacks vision will cause a school to faulter more quickly.
I have to agree that a school without a clear vision or mission is bound to be disorganized and conflicted. But I am also torn between defining a mission statement to such a degree that there is no room for ambiguity. How does a school go about forming a mission statement that is a living document that is updated to meet the ever changing needs of a school and school staff? Without the ability to change the document regularly, I worry, as others have stated previously, that a mission statement becomes just a symbol that is not utilized. Because it seems so challenging for a school's mission statement to constantly represent the needs and visions of a school, I find it to be more vital for a principal to have a clear vision.
In response to Dr. Graham’s question, I believe that the school that lacks a clear and compelling mission and vision would falter or perform. I believe that the school has to have a clear and compelling mission and vision to successfully perform. It has to be there to guide the administration, faculty, student body and community. I truly believe that if the school has good leadership among the faculty and the community that the principal could lack this vital responsibility in his or her duty. For example, principals assume leadership positions at schools all the time that are already in session and these schools perform well. These new principal’s may not be clear of the mission and vision.
To Dr. Graham’s question, I’m not sure if you can separate the two. A couple of reasons a school might underperform or falter would have to be if the principal neglects to remind his or her staff of the mission/vision. I do think that the school in where the principal lacks a clear mission is in a worst position to succeed. It can be difficult for people to follow a leader that has no clear direction.
In my opinion, if the principal doesn't have a clear mission and vision, the school is bound to fail. This is the leader. How will you effectively lead if you have notohing to go by. I state previously that the mission and vision are the foundation of any successful institution. The leader needs to be on one accord with this foundation. Test scores and things of that nature may not drop, depending on the school you are at, but you may never maximize the potential that lies within your tachers or students. Everyone will be content with the status quo. There will be nothing to strive towards, or no pressure to be better. There will be no clarity of what you are trying to achieve.
It seems that everyone is in agreement that mission and vision statements are important to the success of an organization. I talked to Brian about this and he made a really good point. He is project manager for a construction company and they all gave input into what the company’s vision statement should be. He told me that his input was “To make as much money as possible.” That made me laugh, but it also made me think. Our goal as educators is to “Educate children as best as possible.” Any vision or mission statement that we may have should have this as the underlying theme, regardless of how fancy we word it.
As I was reading the article by Bill Ferriter, I realized that a mission and vision statement can be worthwhile, but only if it is visited on a daily basis. Originally I would have said that a mission or vision statement is not necessary to have a successful organization. Yes, I agree with Amatullah that it can be a “door for individuals to establish their own agendas which can cause confusion and chaos.” But, when you have strong leader with a clear vision, your school is more likely to not falter.
In response to Dr. Graham’s question, I think that the school that has a principal with no clear vision is more likely to underperform rather than a school without a clear vision. As educators, the majority of us got into this profession because we want to educate children. This goes back to “making as much money as possible” or, in our case “educating children as best as possible.” I think that with all of the pacing guides and requirements that we have to meet as educators, for most, it comes naturally. I don’t know word for word our mission statement, although I did help write it, but I do think that with a strong leader that has a personal vision, this can be seen in the day to day interactions of the organization.
An important part of bringing a vision to fruition is the students. We often have visions and missions that speak of the students, but don't realize they need to be sold into it as well. They are the most vital stakeholders. A strong leader may facilitate the vision and its creation, but without the kids buying in, it can just be words. If the students are apathetic and don't want to achive the results implicated, failure is more likely.
Vision statements have nothing to do with the success of the school. It has to do with the actual building. As soon as the building is placed into that community, the mission is set. The community looks at that building as a place of education or a place of juveniles, either way a mission statement, has nothing to do with it. That community attitude has way more to do with the success or failure of that school regardless of how good the school's mission statement is.
The original question asks "Are clear and compelling mission and vision statements necessary for an organization (school, business, non-profit) to be highly successful?"
The wording "clear and compelling" says to me that the mission/vision statement is BOTH clear and compelling. I would argue that they do NOT have to be both in order for an organization to be successful.
Take Honda for example. By practically any measure you wish to use, Honda is a successful organization. Here is an excerpt from the Honda Philosophy: "We see things from a global perspective, always striving to create and produce products of the highest quality at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction. The power of Honda's dreams will continue to lead to new insights and technologies in automobiles, motorcycles, power products, parts and other fields of mobility.
We see it as our responsibility to serve humanity through our global commitments to helping protect the environment and enhancing safety in a mobile society. In every endeavor we pursue, we strive to be a company that people all over the world want to exist."
While their philosophy may be compelling to many, I do not find it to be particularly clear. Therefore I would argue that ambiguity can be good in a mission/vision statement IF the statement is one that will stir the emotions of the reader.
As to the later question, I believe the school that has a principal lacking a clear and compelling mission statement is more likely to falter. If the leader of the school is unable to rally his/her staff behind a common goal (or set of goals), then the school is bound for a somewhat chaotic time. In my opinion.
I completely agree with Amatullah. While I think that having CLEAR AND COMPELLING a mission and vision is important, I do not think that having either will "make or break" an organization. To be honest, I couldn't tell you what our school's mission OR vision are. Often times, I feel as if they are too vague (in order to please everyone). I think it takes a leader that is willing to step out of the box to create a mission and vision that is specific enough to unite his/her staff around a common goal.
Benjy, do you believe that your job as a teacher is to provide students with the opportunity to explore a body of knowledge; to develop academic, physical and social skills; and to practice thinking and decision-making processes in an open and orderly environment? Do you consider yourself a part of the Jordan community? I ask these questions because you are so adament about the mission statement having nothing to do with the success or failure of the school. By attitude, I am guessing you mean whether one thinks positively or negatively about a school. Is that correct? If teachers don't have a mission for being a teacher, why do they do it? If they don't want students to explore knowledge, and to develop academic, social and physical skills, if they don't want students to practice thinking and decision-making skills in an orderly environment, why in the world would they (we) go to our respective schools every day? I agree with Tom. The operative words are "clear and compelling." Mission and vision statements aren't always both of those, but they at least give schools, communities, teachers, students, and parents a focal point; a place to put their goals, ideals and dreams. I don't think they make or break a school, but they are a safety net to fall back on when you are trying to untangle some web, or redirect some poorly defined iniative, or trying to build cohesiveness between a staff. By the way, did you recognize the first sentence in this post? That's Jordan's mission statement, and I personally like what it says. It's thoughtful but leaves room for a little ambiguity.
Tom--Honda was a really good example! And you're right...it isn't really a clear philosophy/mission/vision statement. This is a great example of how ambiguity in a vision statement can be a positive thing.
Camille is right, too. I really like the perspective that you put it in when you said it gives a "focal point." A mission statement does give teachers, parents, and students a place to start.
How do you define success without a vision statement outlining what success will look like? Likewise, how do reach any level of achievement without a mission statement describing how the vision will be reached? Everybody has a vision and mission statement in their head. The key to whether an organization is successful is how many members share the same vision and mission. Organizations that are not successful as they could or should be take for granted that everybody shares the same vision and/or mission. Teams of very talented athletes do not gain success unless they are willing to work together and understand what their missions are in reference to their visions and goals for success. All teams want to win but not all teams know how to achieve that goal and competing visions of individuals on the teams may hinder the teams progress to that goal. By creating clear and compelling vision and/or mission statements, leaders are trying to get the members of the organization to work for a common goal and not waste efforts, resources and talents going in different directions.
Camille, you wrote, "If teachers don't have a mission for being a teacher, why do they do it? If they don't want students to explore knowledge, and to develop academic, social and physical skills, if they don't want students to practice thinking and decision-making skills in an orderly environment, why in the world would they (we) go to our respective schools every day? ...Mission and vision statements aren't always both of those, but they at least give schools, communities, teachers, students, and parents a focal point; a place to put their goals, ideals and dreams."
(Very well written, by the way!) I disagree that mission statements pull of these things together for us. If I, as a teacher, don't even know the mission statement of my own school, then I highly, highly doubt that many of my coworkers do. On that note, I doubt many of our parents could tell you our school's mission or vision either. I think that truly good teachers inspire our students to do all of these things (explore knowledge, develop academic, social and physical skills, develop decision-making skills, etc.) because we WANT those things for our kids. It's more of an intrinsic motivation and a love for students rather than a common mission or vision pushing me to do those things.
I do agree with you, though, that they CAN be a safety net. However, I have yet to hear of our mission or vision being used to fall back on to redirect a poorly defined initiative, or trying to build cohesiveness between a staff. But then again, perhaps that is a lack of leadership in our building?
I agree with you Abbey. I don't know my school's mission statement either, and just read it recently for this assignment. I was in Middle School Reform today for 8 hours, and never heard any talk about mission statements or visions for middle schools in Durham and all of the "powers that be" were there! Benjy's statement about missions and visions not having anything to do with a school's success and that it is the attitude of the community that determines that threw me. When I read Jordan's mission statement, I was impressed. It sounds realistic and something that all educators would want for kids. Some of the ones that I've read sound so formal. They sound like words used to impress someone, not words to live by. Anyway, I agree with everything you said too. Now, tell me how to spell check on this thing, because when I find a word I've misspelled, it won't let me correct it!!! (smile)
You know, Camille, I didn't even go back to read Benjy's post as I was replying to yours. I agree with you; that mission statements and visions have SOMETHING to do with the culture in a building. Or, lets say, could potentially have something to do with the culture in the building. I actually think it's sad that so many of our mission statements/vision statements turn into political statements ... and aren't really about what we SHOULD be about (for fear of offending someone). I actually worked at a charter school in Salt Lake City, Utah, and you can BET we all knew the mission statement of that school. But I feel like, for whatever reason, they were more free to develop a less ambiguous mission statement for their school because the community KNEW what the school was about, and could either agree (and enroll their kids) or disagree (and go to another public school). I actually wish all of our statements could be that way; inspiring, less ambiguous, and TRULY representative of what we want the school to accomplish (and set the tone for the culture in the building). THOSE are the mission/vision statements that I feel can "make" an organization. I think it takes stepping out of the box, and being able to throw yourself out there as an organization.
Abbey, I have heard an administrator in the past quote our school mission statement. I was in a faculty meeting and EOG assessment data was being compared from previous years. During the faculty meeting, I listened to conversations from teachers about the mission statement and the school goals. I truly believe that reviewing the mission statement and school goals helped change the perspective of some of the teachers in the meeting. I think it gave them inspiration from the disappointment in scores. I do not have my current mission statement memorized but I know that it is centered on student growth and hearing it can inspirational. Also, I agree that good teachers may not know the mission statement. However, they inspire their students to do these things (explore knowledge, develop academics, social and physical skills and develop decision-making skills). This supports my thought of a school that lacks a clear and compelling mission and vision underperforming. I think that individuals in the school may have their own personal mission and vision. Nevertheless, the school as a whole unit should have a clear and compelling mission and vision!
In regards to school mission, vision, and value statements, Camille stated earlier: "Is it the living document it should be? Not really. We don't revisit it throughout the year, or at the end of the year, and other than being on our agendas and newsletters, it doesn't come up much." I agree with Camille on this point. As teachers, we rarely revisit mission, value, and vision statements. Therefore, I question their functionality to the everyday operations of an organization. Would a school still funciton without it's mission, vision, and value statements? I think the answer is probably yes; however, the effectiveness of the organzation may be another question.
When thinking about mission, vision, and value statements, I am reminded of Dr. Schainker's thoughts on ambiguity, which I have seen some people address on here. A few months ago, I was critical of school mission, vision, and value statements because I felt that they were not practical because they left so much open to interpretation and did not give the organization clear direction. However, with the tool of "systems thinking" I realize that the ambiguity present in these statements is vital to the organization. Ambiguity in these statements allows for flexibility for schools to be creative in their approach to problem solving and addressing change.
Dr. Graham brought up an interesting point earlier about who creates these statements. I know that in the past three years that I have been at my current school, I have done nothing in the way of working with other staff members to create vision and value statements. However, I have done work in SIP committees and I know that never in any of our conversations did we refer back to our "mission, vision, and values" (I am on the Academic Proficiency goal team for our school). I have always felt a sense of disinvestment around mission, vision, and value statements. I wonder if this is the "lot" of the teacher. As teachers, we are tied down in the day to day operations of our classrooms that we often do not reflect on whether or not our actions reflect our school's mission, vision, and values. Potentially this is one of the gaps that exists between teachers and administrators. Perhaps it is not that important for teachers to be invested in mission, vision, and value statements to make sure the class functions on a day to day basis. Perhaps these statements mean more for administrators who have the task of rallying staff around particular visions for the organization and what the school should "look and sound like."
I agree with both Abbey and Camille that a school’s culture is the “real” vision statement of the school. The beliefs, expectations, and norms of a school reflect how the school goes about its daily business of educating students. If the school has a good culture of professional and committed teachers then the school will probably be successful. If the school’s culture is unprofessional with low expectations for students, then mission and vision statements are very helpful in the leader’s attempt to change that culture. As Bill Ferriter illustrated in his article, the development of mission and vision statements by his school’s faculty can be a very powerful and empowering experience. Good schools with experienced and long serving faculties have internalized the positive culture of the school and do not see the need for a formal vision and/or mission as was expressed in Benjy’s post. The development of mission and vision statements by a faculty is the same as a team setting goals and openly committing themselves to reaching those goals. If faculties would continually rewrite or revise their mission and vision statements, their actions in the classroom would be more aligned with those statements.
Mission and vision statements are just symbolic and traditional for the public school system. They are symbolic, because they supposedly express the school district’s overall purpose. They are traditional, because they have become routine to some school districts. One problem that can occur with traditions is the loss of meaning or the purpose for doing it. When you do something just because your forefathers did it that way is that a true and effective reason to do something? This is what has happen with some school districts mission and vision statements. I have worked in two school districts and during my new employee orientations not once was the mission and vision statement mentioned or explained. I have worked in numerous schools in those two districts and not once did the administration express the mission and vision statements to me. Is it really important, if it is not referenced?
It seems to me that education, just like so many other organizations, has made the tragic mistake of looking at mission statements and visions, through the same lens as the military would if it were attacking a problem. Normally I would say this is not a bad idea. But the only problem is unlike the military, education has no Commander in Chief, there is no national curriculum for education. All schools are run by the state and are also connected to local school boards. It is for this reason, we have well posted mission statements in the lobbies of our schools declaring some canned line about how “we put children first,” yet you could look all over the school and fail to see any evidence of that anywhere. The President makes a decision for the troop, that’s it! If he removes Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, nobody can do a thing, he doesn’t have to worry about letting the states decide if they want to join in and participate. This is what education needs. Then it would put some teeth back in those verbose and worthless missions that we teachers get together and painstakingly develop as part of the school improvement plan.
Until we can clear up or develop a direct and national chain of command for education, then there is no need to keep writing these mission statements, in an attempt to sound as good as or better than the other school…kind of like the blind following after the blind.
I agree with you Paul. The mission and vision statement should be used in that matter, but the reality is they are not for the most part. These statements are too ambiguous. Here is Wake County’s mission statement. The Wake County Public School System will educate each student to be a responsible and productive citizen who can effectively manage future challenges. What is a responsible and productive citizen? If a leader does not specify what the mission is how can the subordinates effectively achieve it? It is kind of like the play caller for a football team saying score, but the players all are thinking of different ways to score. Some are think pass right, while others are thinking run left. In the end however you would rarely score, because of all of the team members having a different opinion on how to score, therefore not working together. K-12 public education is the same way as that football team. The mission is to educate student to be a productive citizen, but employees are thinking a productive citizen is one thing, while others are thinking something totally different.
Most would agree that without and individual mission a principal is doomed to fail. However, a school without a mission can exist and possibly thrive provided it has the right personnel. On the most basic level by just going into the field of education a general mission is assumed: Teach the youth. But how many new teachers come to a school and have trouble knowing what to do until they read the school’s mission statement? I think the mission of education is clear from the start, for principal and personnel. What else would they be expected to accomplish? The vision is where the principal needs to exert his power. How to accomplish the mission.
Debra I agree with Habakkuk, but the key phrase is “make it plan”. All of the mission and vision statements I have seen are ambiguous. How can I run with the vision if my interpretation is vastly different from yours? Most of the staff in the schools I have worked in did not know the mission and vision statements. If the statements are unknown, then the plaques they are engraved on could be removed and the statement never referenced and it would still be business as usual. Our students’ achievement would not be affected at all, because of the exclusion of these statements.
I still hold to the fact that the mission statement is a reflection of the school's inherited mission of the community, students and staff and not the other way around. Mission statements seem to me to be just rhetoric. To answer Dr. Graham's comment, a principal's mission must be clear and displayed through example. I remain firm that half of you who are saying that mission statements are so important do not know your own at your school. I do not deny that I don't know my mission statement. It just so happens that it does coincidentally line up with what I want to do. It has no impact on my daily life or what I believe Jordan is all about. We are a school of tradition and integrity that date much older than that lovely mission statement. I believe that one was written in 1993 or at least that is what my principal remembers and the school is way older than that. Would you suggest that before these lovely mission statements were formed that the school was not successful or not productive?
In response to Dr. Graham’s question about the importance of the principal’s vision as opposed to the school’s, I believe the leader’s vision is what will be the actual vision of the school. The principal who actively evaluates teacher performance based on his/her vision, models desired behaviors based on his/her vision, and hires new people who share his/her vision creates a school that is aligned with that vision. As Matt suggested in his post, the actual teaching that goes occurs in the classroom often does not match the school’s stated vision. When the mission and vision statements of a school are written by a group and given to the staff and put on a shelf then the rhetoric of the statements do not match the reality of practice and the school probably will not be successful. If the principal does not have a clear mission and vision, then the school will lack a coordinated effort in achieving the overarching goal of improved student achievement. Individuals and groups within the school will determine their own missions and visions that may conflict with other missions and visions present in the school.
I like the point that Lamont makes about employers. Is it important what businesses want from the educational system? Or should they just accept whatever? Should businesses have a say so in curriculum development? Should vision/mission statements reference the world of work or is that considered to be sacrilegious? Why is it that when you mention work as a post secondary option (instead of college) people get offended?
I think my vision/mission statement would state that I would like to be a leader of a school or school district that prepares students for their future...not our past. A culture that ensures that students have both the academic skills and the technical skills to be successful in whatever post secondary activity they choose. Just thought I would share. Keith
I have put some more thought into it and I do think it might help some parents see what a school is all about. I just don't think that the mission statements play a big part in the day to day school life. I think we are all basically saying the same thing but we are just playing a word game. I do believe that schools should have an idea of what they want to do and where they want to go but I do not believe that can be hung on a sign in the office. I do believe that a good principal can show and lead the school to where they want to go and what they want to achieve.
I would like to share with you my school's vision statement.
"Holt Elementary School is a nurturing and supportive environment in which students experience data-driven, outstanding teaching that is based on best practices, ongoing feedback, and is supported by research. All of Holt’s learning community members work collaboratively to equip students with the tools necessary to bounce back from adversity and to help students reach their full potential by ensuring that they have opportunities to experience success on a daily basis."
If you want rhetoric...we've got it! Like ambiguity? We are the place for you! BUT...does anyone else find the part about equipping the students with "the tools necessary to bounce back from adversity" to be a bit odd? It seems to me that we are saying the students come to us with lots of baggage.
Now to me, this vision statement is neither clear or compelling. In my opinion it lacks inspiration. Funny thing is, until this assignment I had never even paid attention to our vision statement.
To my way of thinking the vision statement, regardless of the organization behind it, is a PR piece that should be written to inspire the employees and build confidence in the mind of the customer/client. I'm not sure that our vision statement achieves either of these.
Does this mean that we (the staff of Holt) are not focused on the business of educating our students? Absolutely not. It simply means we might want to rethink the vision statement. But that's just my opinion.
Paul is correct, teams and organizations alike work extremely hard to ensure that members of their organization share a common mission, vision, and goals. This strategic approach ensures that everyone understands the "why" and "how" the organization will accomplish his or her objectives.
In Managing Schools within a District Context, Dr. Stanley Schainker taught that a mission statement should be ambiguous to the average reader, but clear to the organization’s leadership. However, the mission and vision statements should be somewhat clear and compelling to motivate individuals to take action. Therefore, an organization should have a clear and compelling mission and vision statement to have a highly successful organization.
An online article entitled “A Practical View of Mission and Vision Statements” states, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” In addition, the article talks about that fact the mission and vision statements can be adjusted as organizations mature. Please click on this link to read the entire article http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/566/A-Practical-View-of-Mission-and-Vision-Statements.html. To read other articles related to mission and vision statements, please visit the popular website gobiz for Entrepreneurs.
Rick, To address Dr.G question, regarding who would falter between the school or the principal without having a compelling mission/vision statement, I have to say the principal. Continuing with my sentiment of the mission/vision statement being a functional tactic, the statement's strength and performance lies within those that excute it. Words without actions and works are just that, mere words. The principal that possess their own mission/vision statement will certainly understand and adhere to a mission/vision statement established by the school that he/she administers. Consequently, the school leader would be the engine that drives the school, regardless if it is their(principal) agenda or the school's itself.
I think that clear and compelling mission and vision statements are essential for organizations to be successful. The mission and the vision statements tell employees and community members what the organization is all about and the goals that the organization plans to accomplish. Leading an organization without a clear mission and vision opens the door for individuals to establish their own agendas which can cause confusion and chaos. We often hear leaders use slogans like "get on the bus" to motivate employees to work to accomplish the same goals. However, employees and stakeholders likely want to know where the leadership would like to go. The mission and vision statements should answer this question in order for an organization to be successful. In my mind, a successful organizational leader answers this question through their actions which should align with the written mission and vision statements.
ReplyDeleteI think that having a clear and compelling mission and vision statement is essential to organizational success. The mission and vision statement articulate to the stakeholders the direction of the organization, gives purpose and defines the objectives of the organization and how those objectives will be measured towards success. I think that any business expects to grow, and therefore, it would be difficult to measure growth if there are no clearly defined expectations and values. Mission and vision statements communicate expectations of behavior in “how things are done around here”, and leaders should model that behavior so as to create a caring, empowering and inspiring environment. Having no mission or vision statement would be symbolic of a “loose cannon”, everyone doing his/her own thing.
ReplyDeleteYes; I think having a clear organizational mission and vision statement is vital and necessary for the organization to be successful. If an organization has no mission, it does not have clearly defined goals or expectations that the organization should be working towards, thus people will be inclined to do what they feel is best for them instead of what is best for the organization. Without a vision statement, the organization has no clue as to what the desired end result should look like. On the other hand, if there are clear goals and expectations and a clear vision and mission statement established before the organization begins its work, then everyone will hopefully be on the same page of working towards the same end result. Dr. Shainker taught us in the last class that sometimes you should embrace ambiguity and sometimes you should stir clear of ambiguity and in this case, ambiguity is definitely not helpful. For an example, in our PLC meetings at school, last year, we immediately began working on creating a writing assessment. However, we did not discuss what specific skills we were measuring the students on, how heavily the assessment would weight, etc. Therefore, each member of the group wanted to do what they thought would be easiest for them to grade rather than what was in the best interest of the students; of course, this caused chaos and confusion. Had the PLC group set up some guidelines from the start, then maybe the disagreements and chaos could have been avoided. This is why I feel that vision and mission statement are valuable to an organization’s success.
ReplyDeleteI think it is necessary to have a vision for anything you want to do in life; this applies if you’re a school, business or even a non-profit. I look at vision as the big picture of what you want for the future. Your vision should encompass your mission, values, goals and objectives. Vision is the mother of your organization’s mission. It is my opinion that your mission is the nuts and bolts of the vision. Mission is who, what and why of your business (or personal) existence. I feel an organization needs to have both vision and mission; however, vision needs to be had from the very beginning. The organization’s mission can be defined later after the vision has been laid out and the organization can decide on the who, what and why they want to service. I also think the vision should be highly developed and defined so your organization never loses site of it. Conversely, the mission should have the ability to change and be flexible as variables in the vision come and go.
ReplyDelete"The mission of Carrington Middle School is to bring students, teachers, parents, and community together to provide a safe environment where all students make continuous progress academically, socially, and developmentally." This is the mission statement for the school that I have worked for the last eight years. Are clear and compelling mission and vision statements necessary for an organization (school, business, non-profit) to be highly successful? I believe they are, but only when they are used as frameworks to express to the entire school community (staff, students, parents, community leaders) who and what the organization would like the students and the school to be. Many times, mission statements will tell who the school community is, what they do, and what they value, but in reality, if schools need the improvement that we all believe they do, than a mission statement shouldn't be about what the school is, but what the school should be. Carrington's statement does that I believe. Is it the living document it should be? Not really. We don't revisit it throughout the year, or at the end of the year, and other than being on our agendas and newsletters, it doesn't come up much. If a mission statement is to be worth the paper it's written on, then the school should be striving to become what they want to become, achieving what they want to achieve, and should have ways to hold itself accountable for progressing towards successfully achieving their goals. I believe that a mission statement has to be a common set of beliefs that school communities can use to motivate them when they get caught up in the little stuff that comes up everyday. Decisions about the school and the school personnel can be guided by the mission statements. An article that I read from "Education World" says that, "The clearer a school is about its mission the more successful it will be. It can be the focal point for learning, it can guide activities and assist in hiring the right people. Powerful mission statements give people a sense of purpose and passion. They should inspire and have meaning for the whole school community. They can be a framework for making decisions and building relationships. A mission statement and vision reflects what has heart and meaning within the school." (Education World, 2009) At Carrington, we work hard everyday to "provide a safe environment where all students make continuous progress academically, socially, and developmentally." Yes, mission statements and visions are very important to schools and businesses, but in order to truly succeed in living the vision of the school, there must be continuous reflection to determine what progress is being made, and if something is not working, what can be done differently to change the outcome. By having, several times a year, meetings where every staff member has in their hands a copy of the mission statement, where it is read and discussed thoroughly and then figuring out how the school is or is not fulfilling its vision and then working hard to correct the shortfalls will make the school successful in reaching its goals. At the end of the year it will be easier to reflect about the progress and the setbacks that have occurred and what the school will need to do the next year to fulfill its vision. ~Camille Marlowe
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ryan. An organization of any sort has to have a mission before they can even begin to operate effectively because if not then the organization wouldn’t be aware of which direction it should be headed. Also, I agree that a mission is something that does not stay the same. Over time, as the school achieves some of its goals, the mission is going to have to reflect the changes and be revamped to focus on new areas of improvement.
ReplyDeleteDebra, you said that "leaders should model that behavior so as to create a caring, empowering and inspiring environment." What about the other stakeholders...teachers, students, parents? I wonder how many people really could recite their company's, school's, organization's mission statement. I don't think very many would be able to do that. When I asked here at school it seemed like most knew the pat answer, "All students can learn." There has to be a way to effectively make the mission and vision a living document that all of the stakeholders know, acknowledge, support, and follow. Do you think that your school's mission statement is effective? Do you talk about it at every faculty meeting? I know we don't at Carrington! Camille
ReplyDeleteI see a mission statement as a symbol. The mission statement symbolizes the organization's vision and values. I also believe that most mission statements are produced by at the district or school level out of necessity. I certainly do not know my school's mission statement. In my opinion, it is somewhat like the school improvement plan: produce it to CYA for the next three years when it is time to produce a new plan. In this regard, I agree with Camille. Rarely is the mission the driving force at meetings, PD's, or PLC's. I think the SIP should be a point of detailed focus where each member is working to contribute to the various components of it: reading goals, math goals, safety goals, etc. While I do not know our mission or SIP verbatim, I tend to agree with Amatullah that the actions should nonverbally communicate that mission or the drive to be better. Michael
ReplyDeleteThanks Camille for your comment. Certainly, I think that every person (parents, students, teachers, other stakeholders)that has a stake in the school should have clearly defined expectations. I also think that it is important that as adults and professionals that we help our students understand the vision. In doing so, we model the behavior that we expect of our students. Through our model, we create student leaders who are then models of other students.
ReplyDeleteI find it a little maddening that the lingo often rolls vision and mission into the same thing. When an organization does that, it gives me the impression they 1) don't know what they're doing; or 2) are just doing what they think they need to do or say.
ReplyDeleteI see the vision as who or what you want to be and the mission as the starting point of getting there. Both should be very short statements (one or two sentences). As several said, the mission should change as the organization changes. IMO healthy organizations should review their mission statements every year.
Yes I think that it is imperative for the success of any organization to have both a vision and a mission statement.
ReplyDeleteA vision statement should succinctly state the intended future state of an organization. The mission statement should define the fundamental purpose of the organization and state how that organization plans to achieve its vision. After reading several vision and mission statements, most tend to be a collection of very general statements. In my opinion, well thought out and well crafted statements that are precise and concise will assist the reader in understanding how their individual contribution may impact the achievement of the organization’s vision. As individuals increase their understanding of the vision, the organization also increases its probability of success. An organization that knows where it is going has a better chance of getting there.
The vision and mission statements should be an “evergreen” document and should be evaluated on an annual basis or more frequently if needed. By keeping this document fresh, it helps to keep the vision in the organization’s face. By keeping the vision at the forefront, the organization’s leader is symbolically saying that the vision is a priority and it is important. And what is urgent and important tends to be the thing that gets the most attention and resources.
I somewhat agree with Kate. A mission statement should not be extremely long because you don't want to be overly ambitious. Focusing on too many things at one time could be biting off more than you can chew. Therefore sometimes KISS (keep it simple stupid)and moving on is better than trying to over do it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ryan’s comment about the importance of an organization’s flexibility and ability to adjust with changing variables. Change within any organization is inevitable and must be considered while devising the mission and vision statements. There will likely be changes in the staff, student population, and leadership. Tiffany commented about the importance of ambiguity and I think this is where ambiguity is most practical. Ambiguity makes it easier for appropriate changes to be made with the changing variables in mind.
ReplyDeleteKate, you are right. Many organizations do confuse and/or use vision and mission interchangeably. Let me make sure it's clear to me...Vision is where you want the organization to go or the result you want to see and mission is how you are going to get to the vision???
ReplyDeleteRegardless, an organization should have a clear one or the other. The issue is when organizations just put visions and missions up and no one really knows what the vision or mission is or the people working in the organization don't have a say in the creation of the mission and/or vision.
In all this, I think the main focus needs to be the goals and the objectives. It's nice to have the broad strokes, but people also need the game plan. IMO the goals are the concrete outcomes you want and the objectives are the pieces on the way and the action plan is how you are actually going to achieve everything If you spend all your time on worrying about how your mission sounds sometimes you miss the crucial details
ReplyDeleteI agree with Amattaluh, leaders should make the vision plain and not try to lead people off cliches and blind optimism. Employees need direction and it's great when they have a say in the direction. Further, ambiguous amd general visions and mission just do not work for me. They may lend themselves for flexibility, but they are generally empty words.
ReplyDeleteAside from my school's mission and vision, I'm going to try "get on the bus", though...(lol)
Now, what am I going to write for this 3rd blog post...
Rick Andrews
ReplyDeleteI believe that a clear and compelling mission and vision statement is more of a necessary documentation, than a blue print for success for an organization. The posting of mission and vision statements is considered a functional tactic, rather than a strategic manifesto of an agency or organization. Mission and vision statement(s) serve as functional tactics, by providing a comprehensive, but yet ambiguous explanation of an organization or school’s goal or intention. Consequently, the ambiguity that the mission and vision statement may entail operates as a safety zone, in order to not be completely constricted to any specific area of the statement that someone my specifically target.
Nevertheless, compelling mission and vision statement can serve as a morale booster for a school or agency, as it can be an instrument for unity and togetherness. The collaborative effort(s) of subordinates and leaders in developing a mission or vision statement allows people to take “stock” within the school or organization. Although I do not think that a mission/vision statement correlates the success of a school or organization, it does provide directions for its goal or objective.
Rick makes an interesting point in his posting. He states he does not think that a mission/vision statement correlates the success of a school or organization, but it does provide directions for its goal and objective. I agree with him that the "perfect" mission/vision statement does not guarantee success but in the words of Debra, having no mission or vision statement would be symbolic of a “loose cannon”, everyone doing his/her own thing. With everyone running off in their own direction, things will get accomplished but certainly not in an efficient manner.
ReplyDeleteI think that clear and compelling mission and vision statements are necessary for organizations to be highly successful. A mission statement is the purpose of why an organization is created or exists. The vision statement is an image of what could be (hopes or aspirations). I know that administrators and faculty spend a lot of time and effort in generating mission and vision statements that identify the goals, policies, and aspirations for their school communities. I believe that having a hand in writing and or creating the mission statement increases the sense of ownership. I believe that having clear mission statements helps with facilitating decision making. I also believe that the statements should be reviewed and revised periodically by the administrator and the faculty. I think school leaders should refer to the mission statements when they are making any school based decisions. I believe that the mission and vision statements are reminders to the faculty of what they are working towards when there are frustrations and disappointments and this goes for any person working for any organization. It is important for any organization to have a clear and compelling mission and vision statement. I think that people get so wrapped up in different issues within their work organization that they need to be reminded of where we are trying to go! For school organizations that should be student achievement.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated the comments made by Karen and Keith. I also believe that mission and vision statements can be beneficial. Mission/vision statements have the potential to make an impact on achievement as long as school leaders incorporate these ideals into evaluations/observations, professional development, extracurricular activities, etc. In my experience, this does not happen often. I believe an outsider observing most schools would be hard pressed to identify a school's mission statement by observing every class in the school.
ReplyDeleteWhile I believe mission/vision statements can be useful, I don't believe they are necessary to realize successful outcomes. I could be completely wrong, but I would bet that few Microsoft employees, Princeton professors, or New York Yankees could state their organization's mission or vision statements. I would also bet that most teachers at successful area public schools could not state their school's mission statement.
Success in education is often defined by the strength of relationships. Good teachers have unique strategies that work with different students; and these strategies may not always be aligned with a school's mission/vision.
"Success in education is often defined by the strength of relationships. Good teachers have unique strategies that work with different students; and these strategies may not always be aligned with a school's mission/vision." I agree with this statement from Matt. In the book, On Being a Teacher: The Human Dimension by J. Kottler, S. Zehm and E. Kottler, Corwin Press, 2005, the first three chapters are about being a superlative teacher. The chapters outline what great teachers do, how they act, how they live. Chapter one is called "On Being a Teacher", Chapter two is "On Being a Learner" and Chapter three is "On Being a Relationship Specialist". In reading this book, you read the words student achievement, No Child Left Behind legislation, but you don't find words like mission statements and visions. You find words like compassion, respect, flexibility, sense of humor, patience, human spirit, nurturer...you get the picture. I think Matt's statement defines what we know in our hearts. In a lot of schools, the mission statements state the obvious, the vision statement states the obvious and the success of the school is realized by how well teachers and other adults are able to reach their students on a human level. College students report that their professors "are very smart, but can't teach," in a recent study done by Time magazine, but aren't they really saying that they don't really know their professors on a human level, so they can't relate to them? Have you ever heard a teacher say she was sick of kids, or even hated kids? I have. I'm not sure any mission statement or vision statement would be realized with attitudes like that. They are important, but they must be living documents within the organization, and all stakeholders must be aware of and practice using what the mission statement has determined is valued and is important. Camille
ReplyDeleteLots of theoretical language here: mission and vision statements are great, they drive an organization, without them there would be chaos, etc.
ReplyDeleteBut is there really chaos without powerful visions or missions? Camille said that her school's mission statement is "To bring students, teachers, parents, and community together to provide a safe environment where all students make continuous progress academically, socially, and developmentally." That's a pretty generic statement, much like most schools, and it seems to allow a lot of latitude for contradictory actions: one teacher believes failing grades give kids the kind of kick in the pants they need to progress academically, another teacher believes failing grades allow students to avoid work and so she holds every student accountable for completing every assignment, no matter when it's done.
Does chaos reign at Carrington?
And when are we developing all of these inspirational and organization-driving mission, vision, and values statements? At 3:30 one day after school at a monthly faculty meeting? What if the faculty fights and doesn't agree?
Dr. G
I don't think that having a mission and/or vision statement alone is going to determine an organization's success. However, this is a starting point in defining what an organization stands for. We've all heard it said, "If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything." I honestly believe that a leader must make a clear statement about what the organization stands for and where he/she wants the organization to go. Will making this statement alone make the organization successful? Absolutely not! However, not making the statement at all opens the door to interpretation and room for creation by others. Again, I think these statements are the starting point and allow the blueprint to be devised. The goals, hiring policies, procedures, etc. should all be aligned with these documents if they indeed define what the organizations purpose is and where the organization wants to go.
ReplyDeleteAgain, as many above have said, the actions of all within an organization and the relationships that are built will determine success. I completely echo Ricks sentiments: "I believe that a clear and compelling mission and vision statement is more of a necessary documentation, than a blue print for success for an organization. The posting of mission and vision statements is considered a functional tactic."
ReplyDeleteThese statements are produced because in order to appease some higher power. Work ethic, attitude, and committment will drive a school's success, not some statement. As Rick said, they are necessary. The rhetoric is that the mission or vision are crucial to the organization, however, the reality is that the statements are conjured and left to decay.
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ReplyDeleteWhile it may be clear that a mission and vision statement alone do not guarantee the success of an organization, I firmly believe that they are key elements to defining and providing organizational structure and direction. Most of us, perhaps not written, do have some type of mission/vision statement that we use to operate even in our daily lives. Try planning a trip to drive to a state unknown to you. It is unlikely that many of us would approach the idea without first, having a purpose for traveling, expectations of what can or should happen along the way, what the expected outcome should be and a map to direct and guide. This is no different in an organization; mission/vision statements serve to provide purpose, direction and expectations. I think that it is clearer when the mission/vision is written; therefore, those involved have some written document that serves as a baseline that they can refer back to as a reminder of the intended goal. I am reminded as I reflect to: Write the vision, make it plain, that they may run and not faint.
ReplyDeleteI believe that having a clear mission and vision statement are essential to an organization being successful. If you take a look at any successful business, no matter what the industry may be, they all contain a mission and vision statement. In my opinion, this is the foundationthat your organization is built on.
ReplyDeleteIf vision and mission statements are key elements to an organization's success, as a future building level supervisor, is it reasonable to expect that teachers will have a vision and mission statement for their individual classrooms?
ReplyDeleteIMO, mission and vision are often much ado about nothing. I have been subbing almost every school in the Durham and Chapel Hill Schools and I would be hard pressed to tell you what their specific vision statements are. What does become very clear, however, is which schools actually have a plan for success and which ones are operating by the seat of their pants, irregardless of what it says on their walls.
ReplyDeleteMore than vision and mission is the culture of the school. What is conveyed when you walk in the door? As an administrator I want to know my school's strengths and weakness and use those to build both long and short range plans that support the success of all children
Rick,
ReplyDeleteThank you to those that supported my statement. I don't want to give the impression that i'm against mission and vision statement, because I'm not, like I stated before I think it is a functional tactic. Something to think about, when is a mission or/vision statement conjured or devised? Is it before an organization is built or after? My guess is after an organizationor agency is built. Therefore, it nullifies the metaphor that a mission/vision statement being a blueprint.
Keith raises a great question about individual classrooms. While I don't have enough research to answer either way, it made me think of another question. Consider a school that recently created a mission or vision statement. If selected as the next principal of that school, how do you proceed if your vision for a school is not in line with the existing vision?
ReplyDeleteOne interesting point that is being raised is the difference between an organizational mission and vision, versus an individual (i.e., one person's) mission and vision.
ReplyDeleteWhich school do you believe is more likely to falter or underperform: the one in which the school lacks a clear and compelling mission and vision, or the one in which the principal lacks a clear and compelling mission and vision?
Dr. G
Yes, but I do feel there is a huge difference between the words clear and compelling. Clarity is something that organizations absolutely need if they are going to be highly successful. It is clarity that enables people to see what the mission/vision looks like. It is clarity that provides the means through which the vision/mission will be achieved. The word compelling usually involves emotion. What is compelling today might not be compelling tomorrow. It is inevitable that organizations will change. Although the word compelling can spark a sense of passion, clarity will always provide the goal of a mission.
ReplyDeleteI tend to agree with what Mike outlined. Mission statements, in my mind and from my experience,s tend to be symbolic and are created because it is a part of what an organization does. What continues to roll through my mind is the idea of "ambiguity" which we discussed extensively in a previous class. Given who I am as a leader, I like to outline things clearly so that everyone involved understands what a mission statement would be. However, is it possible that everyone will understand a statement in the same way? Is it also possible that people could think they understand a statement correctly, when in reality they have a different understanding. What are the effects of a person disagreeing with a mission statement when they are already an integral part of an organization and are not likely to go away.
ReplyDeleteI am curious as to the possible benefit of a slightly ambiguous mission statement. I wonder if having a few statements that could be interpreted in slightly different ways might help to allow more people to feel more closely connected with the organization or to feel as if their views are valued.
To answer Dr. G's last question, I could see where a school that lacks a mission and vision could falter. If everyone working within the school (organization) does not buy into the mission/vision, then the school may not reach its ultimate goal (not that any school ever does).
ReplyDeleteIt has been my experience that a principal that lacks a clear and compelling mission/vision is a recipe for disaster. I watched a middle school go from being the cream of the crop in the county to the laughing stock in less than one year. This occurred due to a change in the principal's seat. The new administrator thought that the school would continue to excel because of its past history. Because the new principal lacked leadership and failed to continue the mission through his own vision, the school went into the crapper. I'm sure there is a better way to say it, but the school went down hill in a hurry. He failed to continue the academic standards in place, failed to enforce discipline; and in doing all of this, plus more, he failed the students, staff, and community. Seriously, it was actually quite amazing how he pulled off such a disaster in such a short amount of time.
So, in my opinion, a leader who lacks vision will cause a school to faulter more quickly.
Michael
I have to agree that a school without a clear vision or mission is bound to be disorganized and conflicted. But I am also torn between defining a mission statement to such a degree that there is no room for ambiguity. How does a school go about forming a mission statement that is a living document that is updated to meet the ever changing needs of a school and school staff? Without the ability to change the document regularly, I worry, as others have stated previously, that a mission statement becomes just a symbol that is not utilized. Because it seems so challenging for a school's mission statement to constantly represent the needs and visions of a school, I find it to be more vital for a principal to have a clear vision.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Dr. Graham’s question, I believe that the school that lacks a clear and compelling mission and vision would falter or perform. I believe that the school has to have a clear and compelling mission and vision to successfully perform. It has to be there to guide the administration, faculty, student body and community. I truly believe that if the school has good leadership among the faculty and the community that the principal could lack this vital responsibility in his or her duty. For example, principals assume leadership positions at schools all the time that are already in session and these schools perform well. These new principal’s may not be clear of the mission and vision.
ReplyDeleteTo Dr. Graham’s question, I’m not sure if you can separate the two. A couple of reasons a school might underperform or falter would have to be if the principal neglects to remind his or her staff of the mission/vision. I do think that the school in where the principal lacks a clear mission is in a worst position to succeed. It can be difficult for people to follow a leader that has no clear direction.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, if the principal doesn't have a clear mission and vision, the school is bound to fail. This is the leader. How will you effectively lead if you have notohing to go by. I state previously that the mission and vision are the foundation of any successful institution. The leader needs to be on one accord with this foundation. Test scores and things of that nature may not drop, depending on the school you are at, but you may never maximize the potential that lies within your tachers or students. Everyone will be content with the status quo. There will be nothing to strive towards, or no pressure to be better. There will be no clarity of what you are trying to achieve.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that everyone is in agreement that mission and vision statements are important to the success of an organization. I talked to Brian about this and he made a really good point. He is project manager for a construction company and they all gave input into what the company’s vision statement should be. He told me that his input was “To make as much money as possible.” That made me laugh, but it also made me think. Our goal as educators is to “Educate children as best as possible.” Any vision or mission statement that we may have should have this as the underlying theme, regardless of how fancy we word it.
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading the article by Bill Ferriter, I realized that a mission and vision statement can be worthwhile, but only if it is visited on a daily basis. Originally I would have said that a mission or vision statement is not necessary to have a successful organization. Yes, I agree with Amatullah that it can be a “door for individuals to establish their own agendas which can cause confusion and chaos.” But, when you have strong leader with a clear vision, your school is more likely to not falter.
In response to Dr. Graham’s question, I think that the school that has a principal with no clear vision is more likely to underperform rather than a school without a clear vision. As educators, the majority of us got into this profession because we want to educate children. This goes back to “making as much money as possible” or, in our case “educating children as best as possible.” I think that with all of the pacing guides and requirements that we have to meet as educators, for most, it comes naturally. I don’t know word for word our mission statement, although I did help write it, but I do think that with a strong leader that has a personal vision, this can be seen in the day to day interactions of the organization.
An important part of bringing a vision to fruition is the students. We often have visions and missions that speak of the students, but don't realize they need to be sold into it as well. They are the most vital stakeholders. A strong leader may facilitate the vision and its creation, but without the kids buying in, it can just be words. If the students are apathetic and don't want to achive the results implicated, failure is more likely.
ReplyDeleteVision statements have nothing to do with the success of the school. It has to do with the actual building. As soon as the building is placed into that community, the mission is set. The community looks at that building as a place of education or a place of juveniles, either way a mission statement, has nothing to do with it. That community attitude has way more to do with the success or failure of that school regardless of how good the school's mission statement is.
ReplyDeleteThe original question asks "Are clear and compelling mission and vision statements necessary for an organization (school, business, non-profit) to be highly successful?"
ReplyDeleteThe wording "clear and compelling" says to me that the mission/vision statement is BOTH clear and compelling. I would argue that they do NOT have to be both in order for an organization to be successful.
Take Honda for example. By practically any measure you wish to use, Honda is a successful organization. Here is an excerpt from the Honda Philosophy: "We see things from a global perspective, always striving to create and produce products of the highest quality at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction. The power of Honda's dreams will continue to lead to new insights and technologies in automobiles, motorcycles, power products, parts and other fields of mobility.
We see it as our responsibility to serve humanity through our global commitments to helping protect the environment and enhancing safety in a mobile society. In every endeavor we pursue, we strive to be a company that people all over the world want to exist."
While their philosophy may be compelling to many, I do not find it to be particularly clear. Therefore I would argue that ambiguity can be good in a mission/vision statement IF the statement is one that will stir the emotions of the reader.
As to the later question, I believe the school that has a principal lacking a clear and compelling mission statement is more likely to falter. If the leader of the school is unable to rally his/her staff behind a common goal (or set of goals), then the school is bound for a somewhat chaotic time. In my opinion.
I completely agree with Amatullah. While I think that having CLEAR AND COMPELLING a mission and vision is important, I do not think that having either will "make or break" an organization. To be honest, I couldn't tell you what our school's mission OR vision are. Often times, I feel as if they are too vague (in order to please everyone). I think it takes a leader that is willing to step out of the box to create a mission and vision that is specific enough to unite his/her staff around a common goal.
ReplyDeleteBenjy, do you believe that your job as a teacher is to provide students with the opportunity to explore a body of knowledge; to develop academic, physical and social skills; and to practice thinking and decision-making processes in an open and orderly environment? Do you consider yourself a part of the Jordan community? I ask these questions because you are so adament about the mission statement having nothing to do with the success or failure of the school. By attitude, I am guessing you mean whether one thinks positively or negatively about a school. Is that correct? If teachers don't have a mission for being a teacher, why do they do it? If they don't want students to explore knowledge, and to develop academic, social and physical skills, if they don't want students to practice thinking and decision-making skills in an orderly environment, why in the world would they (we) go to our respective schools every day? I agree with Tom. The operative words are "clear and compelling." Mission and vision statements aren't always both of those, but they at least give schools, communities, teachers, students, and parents a focal point; a place to put their goals, ideals and dreams. I don't think they make or break a school, but they are a safety net to fall back on when you are trying to untangle some web, or redirect some poorly defined iniative, or trying to build cohesiveness between a staff. By the way, did you recognize the first sentence in this post? That's Jordan's mission statement, and I personally like what it says. It's thoughtful but leaves room for a little ambiguity.
ReplyDeleteTom--Honda was a really good example! And you're right...it isn't really a clear philosophy/mission/vision statement. This is a great example of how ambiguity in a vision statement can be a positive thing.
ReplyDeleteCamille is right, too. I really like the perspective that you put it in when you said it gives a "focal point." A mission statement does give teachers, parents, and students a place to start.
How do you define success without a vision statement outlining what success will look like? Likewise, how do reach any level of achievement without a mission statement describing how the vision will be reached? Everybody has a vision and mission statement in their head. The key to whether an organization is successful is how many members share the same vision and mission. Organizations that are not successful as they could or should be take for granted that everybody shares the same vision and/or mission. Teams of very talented athletes do not gain success unless they are willing to work together and understand what their missions are in reference to their visions and goals for success. All teams want to win but not all teams know how to achieve that goal and competing visions of individuals on the teams may hinder the teams progress to that goal. By creating clear and compelling vision and/or mission statements, leaders are trying to get the members of the organization to work for a common goal and not waste efforts, resources and talents going in different directions.
ReplyDeleteCamille, you wrote, "If teachers don't have a mission for being a teacher, why do they do it? If they don't want students to explore knowledge, and to develop academic, social and physical skills, if they don't want students to practice thinking and decision-making skills in an orderly environment, why in the world would they (we) go to our respective schools every day? ...Mission and vision statements aren't always both of those, but they at least give schools, communities, teachers, students, and parents a focal point; a place to put their goals, ideals and dreams."
ReplyDelete(Very well written, by the way!) I disagree that mission statements pull of these things together for us. If I, as a teacher, don't even know the mission statement of my own school, then I highly, highly doubt that many of my coworkers do. On that note, I doubt many of our parents could tell you our school's mission or vision either. I think that truly good teachers inspire our students to do all of these things (explore knowledge, develop academic, social and physical skills, develop decision-making skills, etc.) because we WANT those things for our kids. It's more of an intrinsic motivation and a love for students rather than a common mission or vision pushing me to do those things.
I do agree with you, though, that they CAN be a safety net. However, I have yet to hear of our mission or vision being used to fall back on to redirect a poorly defined initiative, or trying to build cohesiveness between a staff. But then again, perhaps that is a lack of leadership in our building?
Thanks for the inspiration for my post :)
I agree with you Abbey. I don't know my school's mission statement either, and just read it recently for this assignment. I was in Middle School Reform today for 8 hours, and never heard any talk about mission statements or visions for middle schools in Durham and all of the "powers that be" were there! Benjy's statement about missions and visions not having anything to do with a school's success and that it is the attitude of the community that determines that threw me. When I read Jordan's mission statement, I was impressed. It sounds realistic and something that all educators would want for kids. Some of the ones that I've read sound so formal. They sound like words used to impress someone, not words to live by. Anyway, I agree with everything you said too. Now, tell me how to spell check on this thing, because when I find a word I've misspelled, it won't let me correct it!!! (smile)
ReplyDeleteYou know, Camille, I didn't even go back to read Benjy's post as I was replying to yours. I agree with you; that mission statements and visions have SOMETHING to do with the culture in a building. Or, lets say, could potentially have something to do with the culture in the building. I actually think it's sad that so many of our mission statements/vision statements turn into political statements ... and aren't really about what we SHOULD be about (for fear of offending someone). I actually worked at a charter school in Salt Lake City, Utah, and you can BET we all knew the mission statement of that school. But I feel like, for whatever reason, they were more free to develop a less ambiguous mission statement for their school because the community KNEW what the school was about, and could either agree (and enroll their kids) or disagree (and go to another public school). I actually wish all of our statements could be that way; inspiring, less ambiguous, and TRULY representative of what we want the school to accomplish (and set the tone for the culture in the building). THOSE are the mission/vision statements that I feel can "make" an organization. I think it takes stepping out of the box, and being able to throw yourself out there as an organization.
ReplyDeleteAbbey, I have heard an administrator in the past quote our school mission statement. I was in a faculty meeting and EOG assessment data was being compared from previous years. During the faculty meeting, I listened to conversations from teachers about the mission statement and the school goals. I truly believe that reviewing the mission statement and school goals helped change the perspective of some of the teachers in the meeting. I think it gave them inspiration from the disappointment in scores. I do not have my current mission statement memorized but I know that it is centered on student growth and hearing it can inspirational. Also, I agree that good teachers may not know the mission statement. However, they inspire their students to do these things (explore knowledge, develop academics, social and physical skills and develop decision-making skills). This supports my thought of a school that lacks a clear and compelling mission and vision underperforming. I think that individuals in the school may have their own personal mission and vision. Nevertheless, the school as a whole unit should have a clear and compelling mission and vision!
ReplyDeleteIn regards to school mission, vision, and value statements, Camille stated earlier: "Is it the living document it should be? Not really. We don't revisit it throughout the year, or at the end of the year, and other than being on our agendas and newsletters, it doesn't come up much." I agree with Camille on this point. As teachers, we rarely revisit mission, value, and vision statements. Therefore, I question their functionality to the everyday operations of an organization. Would a school still funciton without it's mission, vision, and value statements? I think the answer is probably yes; however, the effectiveness of the organzation may be another question.
ReplyDeleteWhen thinking about mission, vision, and value statements, I am reminded of Dr. Schainker's thoughts on ambiguity, which I have seen some people address on here. A few months ago, I was critical of school mission, vision, and value statements because I felt that they were not practical because they left so much open to interpretation and did not give the organization clear direction. However, with the tool of "systems thinking" I realize that the ambiguity present in these statements is vital to the organization. Ambiguity in these statements allows for flexibility for schools to be creative in their approach to problem solving and addressing change.
ReplyDeleteDr. Graham brought up an interesting point earlier about who creates these statements. I know that in the past three years that I have been at my current school, I have done nothing in the way of working with other staff members to create vision and value statements. However, I have done work in SIP committees and I know that never in any of our conversations did we refer back to our "mission, vision, and values" (I am on the Academic Proficiency goal team for our school). I have always felt a sense of disinvestment around mission, vision, and value statements. I wonder if this is the "lot" of the teacher. As teachers, we are tied down in the day to day operations of our classrooms that we often do not reflect on whether or not our actions reflect our school's mission, vision, and values. Potentially this is one of the gaps that exists between teachers and administrators. Perhaps it is not that important for teachers to be invested in mission, vision, and value statements to make sure the class functions on a day to day basis. Perhaps these statements mean more for administrators who have the task of rallying staff around particular visions for the organization and what the school should "look and sound like."
ReplyDeleteI agree with both Abbey and Camille that a school’s culture is the “real” vision statement of the school. The beliefs, expectations, and norms of a school reflect how the school goes about its daily business of educating students. If the school has a good culture of professional and committed teachers then the school will probably be successful. If the school’s culture is unprofessional with low expectations for students, then mission and vision statements are very helpful in the leader’s attempt to change that culture. As Bill Ferriter illustrated in his article, the development of mission and vision statements by his school’s faculty can be a very powerful and empowering experience. Good schools with experienced and long serving faculties have internalized the positive culture of the school and do not see the need for a formal vision and/or mission as was expressed in Benjy’s post. The development of mission and vision statements by a faculty is the same as a team setting goals and openly committing themselves to reaching those goals. If faculties would continually rewrite or revise their mission and vision statements, their actions in the classroom would be more aligned with those statements.
ReplyDeleteMission and vision statements are just symbolic and traditional for the public school system. They are symbolic, because they supposedly express the school district’s overall purpose. They are traditional, because they have become routine to some school districts. One problem that can occur with traditions is the loss of meaning or the purpose for doing it. When you do something just because your forefathers did it that way is that a true and effective reason to do something? This is what has happen with some school districts mission and vision statements. I have worked in two school districts and during my new employee orientations not once was the mission and vision statement mentioned or explained. I have worked in numerous schools in those two districts and not once did the administration express the mission and vision statements to me. Is it really important, if it is not referenced?
ReplyDeleteIt seems to me that education, just like so many other organizations, has made the tragic mistake of looking at mission statements and visions, through the same lens as the military would if it were attacking a problem. Normally I would say this is not a bad idea. But the only problem is unlike the military, education has no Commander in Chief, there is no national curriculum for education. All schools are run by the state and are also connected to local school boards. It is for this reason, we have well posted mission statements in the lobbies of our schools declaring some canned line about how “we put children first,” yet you could look all over the school and fail to see any evidence of that anywhere. The President makes a decision for the troop, that’s it! If he removes Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, nobody can do a thing, he doesn’t have to worry about letting the states decide if they want to join in and participate. This is what education needs. Then it would put some teeth back in those verbose and worthless missions that we teachers get together and painstakingly develop as part of the school improvement plan.
ReplyDeleteUntil we can clear up or develop a direct and national chain of command for education, then there is no need to keep writing these mission statements, in an attempt to sound as good as or better than the other school…kind of like the blind following after the blind.
I agree with you Paul. The mission and vision statement should be used in that matter, but the reality is they are not for the most part. These statements are too ambiguous. Here is Wake County’s mission statement. The Wake County Public School System will educate each student to be a responsible and productive citizen who can effectively manage future challenges. What is a responsible and productive citizen? If a leader does not specify what the mission is how can the subordinates effectively achieve it? It is kind of like the play caller for a football team saying score, but the players all are thinking of different ways to score. Some are think pass right, while others are thinking run left. In the end however you would rarely score, because of all of the team members having a different opinion on how to score, therefore not working together. K-12 public education is the same way as that football team. The mission is to educate student to be a productive citizen, but employees are thinking a productive citizen is one thing, while others are thinking something totally different.
ReplyDeleteMost would agree that without and individual mission a principal is doomed to fail. However, a school without a mission can exist and possibly thrive provided it has the right personnel. On the most basic level by just going into the field of education a general mission is assumed: Teach the youth. But how many new teachers come to a school and have trouble knowing what to do until they read the school’s mission statement? I think the mission of education is clear from the start, for principal and personnel. What else would they be expected to accomplish? The vision is where the principal needs to exert his power. How to accomplish the mission.
ReplyDeleteDebra I agree with Habakkuk, but the key phrase is “make it plan”. All of the mission and vision statements I have seen are ambiguous. How can I run with the vision if my interpretation is vastly different from yours? Most of the staff in the schools I have worked in did not know the mission and vision statements. If the statements are unknown, then the plaques they are engraved on could be removed and the statement never referenced and it would still be business as usual. Our students’ achievement would not be affected at all, because of the exclusion of these statements.
ReplyDeleteI still hold to the fact that the mission statement is a reflection of the school's inherited mission of the community, students and staff and not the other way around. Mission statements seem to me to be just rhetoric. To answer Dr. Graham's comment, a principal's mission must be clear and displayed through example. I remain firm that half of you who are saying that mission statements are so important do not know your own at your school. I do not deny that I don't know my mission statement. It just so happens that it does coincidentally line up with what I want to do. It has no impact on my daily life or what I believe Jordan is all about. We are a school of tradition and integrity that date much older than that lovely mission statement. I believe that one was written in 1993 or at least that is what my principal remembers and the school is way older than that. Would you suggest that before these lovely mission statements were formed that the school was not successful or not productive?
ReplyDeleteIn response to Dr. Graham’s question about the importance of the principal’s vision as opposed to the school’s, I believe the leader’s vision is what will be the actual vision of the school. The principal who actively evaluates teacher performance based on his/her vision, models desired behaviors based on his/her vision, and hires new people who share his/her vision creates a school that is aligned with that vision. As Matt suggested in his post, the actual teaching that goes occurs in the classroom often does not match the school’s stated vision. When the mission and vision statements of a school are written by a group and given to the staff and put on a shelf then the rhetoric of the statements do not match the reality of practice and the school probably will not be successful. If the principal does not have a clear mission and vision, then the school will lack a coordinated effort in achieving the overarching goal of improved student achievement. Individuals and groups within the school will determine their own missions and visions that may conflict with other missions and visions present in the school.
ReplyDeleteI like the point that Lamont makes about employers. Is it important what businesses want from the educational system? Or should they just accept whatever? Should businesses have a say so in curriculum development? Should vision/mission statements reference the world of work or is that considered to be sacrilegious? Why is it that when you mention work as a post secondary option (instead of college) people get offended?
ReplyDeleteI think my vision/mission statement would state that I would like to be a leader of a school or school district that prepares students for their future...not our past. A culture that ensures that students have both the academic skills and the technical skills to be successful in whatever post secondary activity they choose. Just thought I would share. Keith
I have put some more thought into it and I do think it might help some parents see what a school is all about. I just don't think that the mission statements play a big part in the day to day school life. I think we are all basically saying the same thing but we are just playing a word game. I do believe that schools should have an idea of what they want to do and where they want to go but I do not believe that can be hung on a sign in the office. I do believe that a good principal can show and lead the school to where they want to go and what they want to achieve.
ReplyDeleteI would like to share with you my school's vision statement.
ReplyDelete"Holt Elementary School is a nurturing and supportive environment in which students experience data-driven, outstanding teaching that is based on best practices, ongoing feedback, and is supported by research. All of Holt’s learning community members work collaboratively to equip students with the tools necessary to bounce back from adversity and to help students reach their full potential by ensuring that they have opportunities to experience success on a daily basis."
If you want rhetoric...we've got it! Like ambiguity? We are the place for you! BUT...does anyone else find the part about equipping the students with "the tools necessary to bounce back from adversity" to be a bit odd? It seems to me that we are saying the students come to us with lots of baggage.
Now to me, this vision statement is neither clear or compelling. In my opinion it lacks inspiration. Funny thing is, until this assignment I had never even paid attention to our vision statement.
To my way of thinking the vision statement, regardless of the organization behind it, is a PR piece that should be written to inspire the employees and build confidence in the mind of the customer/client. I'm not sure that our vision statement achieves either of these.
Does this mean that we (the staff of Holt) are not focused on the business of educating our students? Absolutely not. It simply means we might want to rethink the vision statement. But that's just my opinion.
Paul is correct, teams and organizations alike work extremely hard to ensure that members of their organization share a common mission, vision, and goals. This strategic approach ensures that everyone understands the "why" and "how" the organization will accomplish his or her objectives.
ReplyDeleteIn Managing Schools within a District Context, Dr. Stanley Schainker taught that a mission statement should be ambiguous to the average reader, but clear to the organization’s leadership. However, the mission and vision statements should be somewhat clear and compelling to motivate individuals to take action. Therefore, an organization should have a clear and compelling mission and vision statement to have a highly successful organization.
ReplyDeleteAn online article entitled “A Practical View of Mission and Vision Statements” states, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” In addition, the article talks about that fact the mission and vision statements can be adjusted as organizations mature. Please click on this link to read the entire article http://www.evancarmichael.com/Business-Coach/566/A-Practical-View-of-Mission-and-Vision-Statements.html. To read other articles related to mission and vision statements, please visit the popular website gobiz for Entrepreneurs.
ReplyDeleteRick,
ReplyDeleteTo address Dr.G question, regarding who would falter between the school or the principal without having a compelling mission/vision statement, I have to say the principal. Continuing with my sentiment of the mission/vision statement being a functional tactic, the statement's strength and performance lies within those that excute it. Words without actions and works are just that, mere words. The principal that possess their own mission/vision statement will certainly understand and adhere to a mission/vision statement established by the school that he/she administers. Consequently, the school leader would be the engine that drives the school, regardless if it is their(principal) agenda or the school's itself.