What’s the difference between a mission and vision statement?

For many of us, there has always been some confusion about how mission and vision statements differ. Defining them is harder than crafting them, it seems. The process of creating them is almost always painful. The product is typically laminated or framed – and then generally ignored. That’s a shame, but that’s life.

According to Susan Ward, a small business expert, the difference is between present and future. She affirms, “The difference between a mission statement and a vision statement is that a mission statement focuses on a company’s present state while a vision statement focuses on a company’s future.”

That simplifies things greatly. The bigger question might be: are either of these really useful or practical?

 Print This Post