Establishing a mission statement and vision

A good manager creates a clear mission statement and vision for his team, so that everyone is working toward the same goals. A vision will help unite a team, and make their work cohesive. It will help motivate and inspire. The following is a look at how to create such a mission statement.
Make it clear- This is the most important part. It cannot be ambiguous or vague. It should state what you want in no uncertain terms so that all who read it know the exact destination. Even if it seems obvious, spell it out.

Make it describe why you are in business and what you want to accomplish- A vision statement or mission statement needs to include information about what your purpose is. Why are you in business? What changes or impact are you hoping to make? How do you want to better other's lives?

Be sure it provides meaning- Include in your mission statement why it is important to be involved, and why each individual is needed for success, as well as why it is worth their time. Employees need to believe in the vision, and feel like they are an integral part of the vision. In order to do this they need to know their role, and feel like success can't be achieved without their contribution.

Set effective goals- Make sure they focus on results, are clearly stated, and have achievable measures. They need to identify who, what, when, where, and how. Goals should list the benefits of success. They should have a step by step guide. They should provide excitement and energy. They should be written down.

Whenever you create a mission statement for a business, one of the fundamental questions you have to ask yourself is: Do employees know their role?-
What do they do? Clearly define job descriptions and responsibilities to each employee.
How will their performance be measured? Provide regular evaluations so that they know exactly how their performance is measured and what is expected of them. Employees are more likely to meet expectations and measure up when they know what those expectations are, and how they are measured.
What resources and support will they have? Will they have a budget, help, time, equipment, etc.? They need to be made aware of what they have to work with and whom in order to accomplish their goals.
What is in it for them? Make sure that each employee knows that by doing their part and accomplishing their goals, there is benefit for them. Will they get promotions, raises, bonuses? Will they get the satisfaction of helping people? What besides a paycheck is in it for them? If it is just that they get paid, make sure they know this and that keeping their job is dependent on performance, not as a scare tactic, but as a reality.

Is the mission or vision challenging and worthy of effort? Is it something that will excite your team, and encourage them to help, and be in harmony with their personal business goals?If it is, you will go far.