Vision, Mission, Goals & ObjectivesPlanning phase

A pathway leading to results1. Create a shared vision

2. Develop a mission statement

3. Identify goals

4. Set objectives

5. Determine projects and activities

6. Establish a plan of action

7. Create a detailed work

plan

8. Assign resources

9. Implement work plan

10. Evaluate results

11. Report accomplishments

12. Review mission

13. Reaffirm mission

14. Repeat from Step 3.

Core ValuesBasic underlying foundation for both the vision

and mission are our core values. Core values: principles and standards at the very

center of our character, and from which we will not budge or stray.

Core values form the basis for our beliefs about life, ourselves and those around us, and the human potential of ourselves and others.

Values and beliefs form our attitudes and guide our behavior.

The behaviors we engage in are what people around us see, along with our skills and actions.

Core Values (cont’d..)Defining your core values first will help you get

your priorities in order (vision, mission, goals, objectives) Example of a farm businesses core values:

efficiency family safety respect for others

The vision… (dream)“The vision embodies people’s highest values and aspirations. It inspires people to reach for what could be and to rise above their fears and preoccupations with current reality.”

Coming together…• The success of a group may depend upon

bringing people together, both physically and philosophically.

• Our view of the world is influenced by the values we hold (individual and collaborative values).• Values become the basis for our personal

vision, mission, goals, objectives and actions.

• Group needs to reconcile differing perspectives, find common ground and create a shared vision

Discovering / Developing Vision, Mission, & ValuesThe coalition’s vision, mission, and values stem

from the individuals involved. Each individual will identify their personal vision, mission, values and goals and then come together to develop them for the coalition.

The following exercises will help you work through the process of identifying your personal core values and developing a personal mission statement. This will be useful in developing your coalition’s vision and mission statements.

What’s Important? Draw a vertical line down the center of a piece

of paper to create two columns. On one side write “values” and on the other side write “characteristics”.

Characteristics SurveyOn the next slide is a list of 20 personal characteristics. On a

separate piece of paper, write the top 8 characteristics for YOU. Rank them, and write them in order on the characteristics column of your “What’s Important?” paper. The characteristic ranked #8 is least important.

Ambitious (hard working, aspiring) Broadminded (open-minded, tolerant, accepting) Capable (competent, effective) Cheerful (lighthearted, joyful, happy) Courageous (brave, standing up for your beliefs) Dependable (reliable, trustworthy, responsible) Forgiving (willing to pardon others) Friendly (pleasant, warm, outgoing, good-natured) Helpful (working for the welfare of others) Honest (sincere, truthful) Imaginative (daring, creative, original) Independent (self-reliant, self-sufficient) Intellectual (intelligent, reflective, knowledgeable) Logical (consistent, rational, realistic) Loving (affectionate, tender) Organized (clean, neat, tidy) Polite (courteous, well-mannered, respectful) Self-confident (self-assured, poised, self-aware) Self-controlled (restrained, self-discipline)

Values SurveyOn the next slide is a list of 15 values arranged

in alphabetical order. On a separate piece of paper, select the top 8 that are important to YOU as guiding principals to YOUR life. Rank them, and write them in order on the “Values” column. The value that is least important should be ranked #8.

Achievement (attaining personal and professional goals)A comfortable life (a prosperous life, adequate finances)Equality (brotherhood, equal opportunity for all, fairness)An exciting life (a stimulating, active life)Family security (caring for loved ones, being cared for)Freedom (independence, free choice, autonomy)Happiness (contentedness, fulfillment) Inner Harmony (freedom from inner conflict, accord, balance)Leaving a legacy (something that endures after you are gone)Pleasurable (an enjoyable, leisurely life)Self-respect (self-esteem, pride, self-worth)A sense of accomplishment (making a lasting contribution)Social recognition (respect, admiration, appreciation)True friendship (close companionship)Wisdom (a mature understanding of life, insight, knowledge)A world of beauty (beauty of nature and the arts)

My Roles in LifeOn a separate piece of paper, identify all the

roles you play in your life (son, daughter, student, employee, grandchild, church member, volunteer, sister, brother, etc.). Then describe the purpose you serve in that role. Why you do it? What’s important about it? Who depends on you? Who benefits?

Role Your purpose in that role

Interacting with PeopleSocial health

On a separate piece of paper, list ways you successfully interact with people.

Examples: advise, teach, encourage, stimulate, help, sell,

enthuse, entertain, lead, educate, motivate, study, provide, serve, reassure, manage, love, inspire, plan, excite, support.

If I Won an Award…On a separate piece of paper, respond to the

following questions: If I won an award, what would the award be for? What would I want the presenter to say about me? What would my parents, grandparents, spouse,

children and siblings be proud to hear about me?

What Do I Want in Life?Respond to the following questions:

What do I want people to say about me in 10 years… 20 years… ?

What do I want to accomplish in my life? What do I want to do (experience) in my life? What do I want to have (possess) in my life?

A Perfect WorldVisualize your perfect world. How does it look?

What are people doing? What are people saying? How does it feel? Write a description of this perfect world.

Example: My perfect world is a place where people know their destinations and enjoy their life journeys.

Personal Mission StatementCombine words and phrases from your values

list, characteristics list, roles in your life, interacting with people list, and things you want in life, along with your description of a perfect world, to create your personal mission statement.

Example: My life purpose is to use my energy and my people skills to teach and motivate people to know their destination and enjoy their life journey.

Creating a shared vision A group’s shared vision

• Communicates a sense of purpose;

• Expresses what is important and why;

• Focuses on the future;

• Reflects the shared values of group members; and,

• Uses pictures, images and words to bring the vision to life.

Shared vision statement should be clear and concise, and create a visual image in the mind of the reader. It may be as brief as a few words or a more detailed collection of points that create the desired visual image.

Blueprint for Shared Vision Materials: blank paper, markers, colored pencils, etc. and

wall space to display group work

1. Take a moment to visualize what your school community would look like if the school had a community garden (fresh produce, outdoor classroom, etc.)

2. Draw a picture or list descriptive words that represent your school community vision

3. Display all work on an open wall

4. Briefly explain your vision to the class

5. Identify common themes

6. Use themes to craft a shared vision statement

Developing a Mission Statement(the what and why)How will your group reach a shared vision? The

mission statement could tell us this.

Mission Statement serves as a tool to communicate the group’s purpose to others.

Mission statement tells people:1. What you do

2. For whom do you do it

3. How you will get it done

Mission Statement (cont’d..)A Mission Statement…

Sets the group’s direction; Clear and concise; Realistic; Reflects the values and beliefs of the group; Demonstrates a commitment to serving others; Inspirational; Action-oriented.

Examples of Mission StatementsAmerican Community Gardening Association

To build community by increasing and enhancing community gardening and greening across the United States and Canada.

Huntington Community Gardens: Create community gardens from vacant

dilapidated lots, gardens that foster opportunities for community engagement, education, and support, as well as economic empowerment, to return the community and its resources to the people.

Blueprint for Mission Statement1. Write a mission statement using the example

and table provided below as a guide.

Group Name What you do For whom do you do it

How you will get it done

University of Maine Cooperative Extension

• Improve lives• Focus on issues

and needs

• Maine people • Through an educational process

• By using research-based knowledge

Mission Statement:

To help Maine people improve their lives through an educational process that uses research-based knowledge focused on issues and needs.

Identifying goals, objectives, projects & activities Group goal is a broad statement of something that

the group expects to attain or achieve. Goals may be short, intermediate, or long-term in nature Well-written goals are believable, attainable, and based

on identified needs

Objectives are statements of specific, measurable, and attainable outcomes that contribute to the achievement of a particular goal.

Outcome-based objectives focus on: Changing people’s behavior or circumstances; Changing something about the community; or, Establishing a process for achieving a particular goal.

Goals & Objectives(how much of what will be accomplished by when)Mission and vision are brief statements, broad,

encompassing and far-reaching

Goals and objectives create the “bite size” pieces, the road map and manageable stepping stones to achieve the mission, make the vision a reality, and navigate the course we have set for our coalition.

Goals are all-encompassing;

Goals & Objectives (cont’d..)Objectives are the small steps through which we achieve our

goals: Specific- they tell how much (e.g. 40%) of what is to be achieved

(what behavior of whom or what outcome) by when (e.g., by 2014)? Measurable- Information concerning the objective can be collected,

detected, or obtained from records (at least potentially) Attainable- Not only are objectives themselves possible, it is likely

that your coalition will be able to pull them off. Relevant- Your coalition has a clear understanding of how these

objectives fit in with the overall vision and mission of the group. Timed- Your coalition has developed a timeline (a portion of which is

made clear in the objectives_ by which they will be achieved. + Challenging- They stretch the group to set its aims on significant

improvements that are important to members of the community.

Goals & Objectives (cont’d..)Having well developed goals and objectives also helps:

Maintain focus and perspective Establish priorities Lead to greater job satisfaction Improve contributors’ performance

Level of performance is highest when: Goals are clearly stated and contain specific objectives Goals are challenging but not unreasonable Stakeholders accept their goals with a true sense of ownership Stakeholders participate in setting and reviewing the goals

Examples of Goals Huntington Community Gardens

Create safe spaces for community interaction and fun across all ages, cultures, and incomes;

Create local sustainable food sources for area residence, food banks and missions.

Create spaces of beauty by encouraging the creation of a variety of garden types including Flower, Desert & Rock, Art, Butterfly, and Senior/Challenged Accessible;

Engage and educate the public on nutrition, environment, stewardship, diversity, and civic responsibility in cooperation with local schools, libraries, and other area organizations;

Help beautify Huntington to attract new citizens and businesses to the area.

Three types of objectives:1. Behavioral objectives:

Look at changing the behaviors of people (what are they doing and saying) and the products (or results) of their behaviors. Example: a neighborhood improvement group might develop an objective for

having an increased amount of home repair taking place (the behavior) and of improved housing (the result)

2. Community-level outcome objectives: Product or result of behavior change in many people. More focused on a community

level instead of an individual level. Example: The same neighborhood group might have an objective of increasing

the percentage of people living in the community with adequate housing as a community-level outcome objective. (behavior change in lots of people)

3. Process objectives: Provide the groundwork or implementation necessary to achieve your other

objectives. Example: the group might adopt a comprehensive plan for improving

neighborhood housing. In this case, adoption of the plan itself is the objective.

Blueprint for Objectives

Consider one of your group’s goals

Write a specific, measurable, attainable objective related to the group goal you selected. Use the example below as a guide.

Goal Do what To what extent

To whom By when

Improve the in-home safety of older adults

Install grab bars for bathtubs

In 30% of the homes in a given town

For adults 60 years of age or older

By the end of this calendar year

Specific, measurable, obtainable objective:

By the end of this calendar year, 30% of homes inhabited by residents 60 years of age or older in our town will have bathtub grab bars.

Developing an action plan(what change will happen; who will do what by when to make it happen)

An action planning process helps groups: See the “big picture: Focus on vision, mission, goals and objectives; Build consensus around planned actions; Work more efficiently; Attract human and financial resources; and, Establish short-, intermediate-, and long-term

plans.

Action Plan (cont’d..) A nine-step action planning process can help your group

generate the information it needs to develop a plan of action.1. Describe the goal to be achieved or the problem to be

solved;

2. Define specific, measurable and attainable outcome-based objectives;

3. Research possible projects or activities to address goals and objectives;

4. Evaluate the pros and cons for each possibility;

5. Select the most appropriate possibility(ies) to implement;

6. Detail the tasks that are required to accomplish the project/activity;

7. Establish a timeline;

8. Allocate resources;

9. Assign responsibilities

Blueprint for detailed work planPossible work plan format:

Project/activity description

Task(s) to be done

Who is/are the responsible person(s)

Task(s) to be completed by when?

Resources required:

Other:

Completion of PlanOnce the plan is complete, projects or activities

can be staffed, implemented, and evaluated.

Shared vision and mission develop the foundation your group needs to productively move into the future

Periodically develop or review group goals, objectives, projects and activities to keep everyone headed in the same direction.