My pastor Andy Stanley (@AndyStanley) has been knocking it out of the park here at The Drive Conference 2009.
During the last main session he took some time to discuss Mission and Vision and how the ingredients to successful statements for both have everything to do with how memorable they are and how transferable they are.
In fact, they are so closely aligned that it’s really one strategy.
Essentially, if your vision and mission is not memorable then it’s ultimately not transferable. If it doesn’t transfer well, then it’s obviously not memorable.
Makes sense, right?
I think this especially applies in the online space because we are inundated with a stream of constant data and information. It’s almost impossible to manage and yet we try so hard to make sure that we stand out and become “memorable” for people so we can gain and keep their attention.
Also, from a marketing perspective, if our online properties are not easily remembered then we can’t transfer that brand to other places as easily and our equity build is stunted.
That’s one of the reasons why I choose my tagline so carefully: “The Exploration of Technology and the Church.”
I wanted people to know that this blog is all about technology and the Church and that the only thing we can necessarily promise you (in terms of content) is that we’ll be exploring the two.
What’s nice is that my mission statement (I hope) is relatively easy to remember and explicity states as obviously as possible what this blog is about. In addition, it does not guarantee a certain stance or opinion about either, but keeps both in an “open hand” which allows many different interpretations but which really explains how I’m never dogmatic about technology and it’s use. Again, I’m only exploring the relationship.
What’s nice is that Andy Stanley agrees and mentioned how the best Mission and Vision statements are ultimately incomplete, which is ok. They are not there to cover all the bases or exist in paragraph form to make sure that every theological nuance is caught.
Is your Mission and Vision memorable and transferable? What needs to change?
Mikes says
I'm taking this into the context of my personal life. I especially agree with the statement that mission and vision statements are usually incomplete. I mean they should be otherwise they're already FACTS. They should be what you want to become and what you want to see "yourself" becoming in the future.
Josh Wagner says
My wife and I have been working on a mission statement for a company that my family is starting. I hate the fact that mission and vision statements are usually separated. To me, your vision will inform your mission. There is no separation. They are two facets of the same thing. And to try and boil it down to 3-5 sentences is even worse! I think what we landed on is memorable and transferable. But they are always in flux. As your vision is informed by God, your mission changes.
Ooh, heavy subjects! 🙂