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Definitions of Strategic Leadership: Mission, Vision and Beyond

February 2nd, 2011

Many knowledgeable people offer perspectives about strategy discussions. I find the most useful perspectives keep us grounded and practical. For a good example, see Seth Godin’s post explaining why all abstract strategy discussions are useless.

One of the power secrets of strategic leadership is this: Once the organization understands its mission, strategic vision, strategic goals and guiding strategies, the entire organization can employ this knowledge in dialogue and decision-making daily.

But what do these terms mean? How is a “mission” different from a “strategic vision,” for example?

Glossary of Strategic Terms for Highly Differentiated Organizations

I’ve created a glossary, of sorts, to help my clients understand the critical terms. Here are five key definitions:

Mission: The mission states the difference the organization intends to make in the lives of those it serves. By its nature, mission is simple, directional, differentiating and relational.

Strategic Vision: A vision statement is a set or summary of descriptions that express how the world will be when the mission is fully and competently operating. The descriptions may be written from the perspective of the various stakeholders. Vision is developed with “future perfect” thinking and it serves as a check on mission clarity. By its nature, vision is generative and inspirational.

Strategic Goals: Strategic goals identify the major achievement targets or results the organization must attain, consistent with the mission.

Guiding Strategies: Strategies express how the organization must operate in alignment with its mission. Strategies are keys to success, rules to live by …wisdom for creating the desired future (e.g., vision).

Guiding strategies are developed for the priority activities needed to achieve the mission (e.g., principle virtues or values, customer relations, quality of service, training and development, communications, teamwork, recruiting, compensation, marketing, product development, performance measurement, financial resources, public relations, and decision making).

Strategies are put into place – strategic goals are accomplished, mission and vision are fulfilled – through a series of tactical actions.

Tactics: These are the specific investments, action steps or programs that the organization chooses to take: to accomplish its goals, in accordance with the strategies, in pursuit of its mission and strategic vision. Exceptional leadership, project management and teamwork are required to translate a list of priority tactics into accountable, implementable endeavor.

What are your wisdoms about being strategic, focused and practical? I’d like to know.

  • Michelleshail

    Thank you for the post! This is HUGE and often overlooked in the rapid pace of change and high level of complexity. In order to get to where we want to go, we have to be able to define that place in space and time and know how it looks. In other words, how do we know when we are there? We also need to know where we stand in relation to that goal. What is in between the current state and the vision. That’s the easy part! The tough part is identifying and developing leaders with the courage, resiliency and participative nature to identify the present, future and the how-tos.

    • Bruce Fritch

      Thank you, Michelle! As stated, strategies are put into place through a series of tactical actions. No action, no impact. Yet, not all actions have a focusing (think branding) value. All businesses are action-oriented, and most tend to act in ways that are not carefully coordinated. So, what the customer often perceives is behavior unguided by strategies that clearly align to mission, vision and strategic goals. An example is a company that promotes an image of customer orientation, yet you experience a crazy-making lack of customer care. nnYes, indeed: your last sentence! The ultimate business challenge is to align its behavior, investments, programs and products to consistently deliver a distinctive impression to customers. Not surprisingly, the leaders who insist on core civil values in decision-making throughout the organization probably have customer relationships that are substantial. This translates into spontaneous, robust referrals, and so the business grows (and at the lowest cost of sales). Takes courage. Takes core social values. I havenu2019t met a sociopathic person in high authority who can pull this off. Whatu2019s called for is the kind of leadership you mentioned: courage, resiliency and participative nature – with high social value.

    • http://www.fritchconsulting.com Bruce W. Fritch

      Thank you, Michelle! As stated, strategies are put into place through a series of tactical actions. No action, no impact. Yet, not all actions have a focusing (think branding) value. All businesses are action-oriented, and most tend to act in ways that are not carefully coordinated. So, what the customer perceives is behavior unguided by strategies that clearly align to mission, vision and strategic goals. An example is a company that promotes an image of customer orientation, yet you experience a crazy-making lack of customer care. nnYes, indeed: your last sentence! The ultimate business challenge is to align its behavior, investments, programs and products to consistently deliver a distinctive impression to customers. Not surprisingly, the leaders who insist on core civil values in decision-making throughout the organization probably have customer relationships that are substantial. This translates into spontaneous, robust referrals, and so the business grows (and at the lowest cost of sales). Takes courage. Takes core social values. I havenu2019t met a sociopathic person in high authority who can pull this off. Whatu2019s called for is the kind of leadership you mentioned: courage, resiliency and participative nature — with high social value.