Implementation - Values/Vision/Mission
Before you craft a business plan, strategic plan, or marketing plan, it's imperative that you understand who you are, what you and your company stands for, and where you'd like to go. Only then can you determine how you're going to get there. Having a true understanding of your mission and a vision for your future allows you to craft plans and programs that are focused, goal oriented, with defined steps that will allow you to achieve your objectives.
Understanding Who You Are, What You Stand For, and Where You Want to Go
ActiFi helps advisory practices run better businesses. Our Values/Vision/Mission Workshops are designed to facilitate the creation and validation of a shared understanding or mental model upon which to build and enhance other areas of the business.
An advisory practice is a "people" business. Therefore, it's critical that the owner or owners of a firm understand their own personal core values, because they will and already do set the organizational culture. It's also imperative that everyone within an organization understand their own core values, and how they might differ from those of others within a firm. Once people have a clear understanding of what's important to them personally, they are better able to craft a set of organizational core values that are meaningful, and aligned with how key personnel view themselves and their work.
Once you understand what the organization stands for, it's much easier to determine where you'd like to see the firm in one, five, ten and even 20 years. What's your vision story? If you were to transport yourself ten years into the future as a reporter writing the story of your successful advisory practice, how would the story read?
When you know who you are and where you'd like to go, a mission statement almost crafts itself. Most firms craft a mission statement that is not understood, remembered, and/or even believed by people within the firm. However, because you have a very clear vision of the present and the future, you're able to craft a mission statement that is exceptionally meaningful, and memorable. A well-written and understood mission statement also differentiates your firm from the competition and is used as a tool in new business, referrals, and marketing.
View the ActiFi Values, Vision, and Mission for an example of the process in action,
What You'll Receive with a Values/Vision/Mission Workshop
Personal Values Diagram:
-
Using Values Cards, we facilitate one-on-one discussion to identify the important aspects that make up every individual.
-
Each individual will have their values detailed on a chart, discussing obstacles that get in the way of achieving the stated value. Staff can use these to improve their own performance.
-
Personal values are then mapped onto the corporate values diagram, enabling more open communication with better understanding of what's important to each person at your firm.
Corporate Values Diagram:
-
Using Values Cards and group discussion we facilitate and determine which organizational values make up how your firm interacts with stakeholders.
-
We discuss how the organizational values play out in daily operations and interaction with other employees and with clients. Is the organization true to its values, and where could it improve?
Vision Story:
-
We'll "brainstorm" with you and your team and write an outline of where your firm will be in one, five, or ten years.
-
We'll write a Vision Story of your firm from a point in time in the future, incorporating your Values. The Story will provide a tangible document of what your firm could look like, and it will help you stay focused on activities that are important to achieving your goals.
Mission Statement:
-
Incorporating your Core Values and your Vision Story, we'll help you craft a meaningful Mission Statement that is memorable and differentiates you from your competition.
-
We'll work with you to determine ways to leverage your Values, Vision, and Mission Statement in your marketing initiatives, and to attract and retain the best employees.
|
Sample Personal Values Chart - Click to Enlarge
|
Sample Values Diagram - Click to Enlarge |
Sample Vision Story - Click to Enlarge |
Having a defined, meaningful, and well-understood Values, Vision, and Mission is the key to any successful business, especially an advisory practice where "people" are the clients, the product, and the businesses' core asset. Ensuring they're all aligned is imperative for for your business growth.
For more information on Values/Vision/Mission workshops for your firm, contact ActiFi today.
