What’s your business mantra?

A vision statement is more than just a phrase. When drafted properly and shared with the company employees, stakeholders, and customers, it becomes a declaration of purpose: a single sentence that defines what your company is all about and what you’re trying to achieve. It can unify employees under one goal while motivating them to achieve it. It gives your customers a clear idea of what they can expect from you. Your company’s vision statement is its mantra, one that should be repeated over and over again.

The company’s vision is instrumental to guiding the company’s work. It is a single, unifying goal that employees should work to achieve. Without knowing the company’s goal, how can employees be expected to achieve it? Author, philosopher, and professor Tom Morris put it this way: “If we don’t know who we are or where we’re going, how can we possibly know exactly what we should do today, and tomorrow?”

A great vision statement illustrates the future of the company in one simple sentence. It conveys what the company does and the impact it hopes to make on the lives of others. It should be concise, yet powerful — something that will be easily remembered and communicated by employees and customers alike. Some great examples are:

• Microsoft: “To put a computer on every desk and in every home”
• Google: “To organize the world’s information”
• Coca-Cola: “To refresh the world”

Since we know these brands well, we can see how their visions encompass what they do in a short, memorable phrase. And it’s a message that makes sense because they have based their strategies, plans, and future on that vision. Coca-Cola’s message of refreshment is apparent in their advertising, marketing, and general communication with the public, so it’s easy to see how its vision is being carried out. There are probably many things that could be said about Google as a company, but the way the company sees itself and its future is clearly defined in its vision statement. So too must your company’s vision statement define your company’s future.

The responsibility then falls on the employer—through the HR department—to make sure all the employees are aware of the company’s vision and understand its importance. Here are a few reasons why any employer needs to ensure that employees learn the company’s vision.

• Everyone together. A clearly defined vision helps make sure that the employees are all on the same page and that they understand exactly what the company is trying to achieve. This is especially true for large companies with hundreds or thousands of employees. A clear vision unifies the workforce and provides a glimpse of where the company hopes to be in the future.
• Reaching the same goal. When an employee starts working for a company, he is given tasks and objectives that he must meet. Those objectives should be aligned with what the company is doing for its strategic future. Without a vision statement, objectives can get muddled and employees can find themselves wondering what they’re supposed to do. Vision allows them to see the goal they should be aiming to reach.   ‘> 
• Setting a baseline. A clear vision can also help employers make sure their employees are actually doing their job well. It’s imperative that the company develops a concise and powerful vision that is regularly communicated to employees so they know what to aim for. After all, an employee’s job is to help support and expand the company’s vision. With this vision clearly defined, employees can measure themselves against whether they’re effectively helping the company to move toward that vision.
• Boosts employee morale. A powerful vision can help employees feel good about their contributions to the company’s future. It also helps focus their efforts so they feel effective in what they’re doing. Since it serves as a unifying force, it boosts a sense of purpose for employees who are working together to help the company achieve its vision.

When employees are aware of the company’s vision—along with its strategies, plans, and future goals—and this vision (mantra) is clearly communicated to them, they are better able to contribute to the realization of the company’s vision.