Vision – describes a desirable future. It refers to or includes your norms and values. For organizations, it provides guiding principles and helps members of an organization identify with it.
Mission – describes how the vision will be realized. It describes what the organization offers to its relevant environment. It is a statement of your identity in the environment. For organizations, a mission statement helps members show commitment to the organization.
Aim – describes how the mission will be accomplished. It describes a desired result in an exchange with its relevant environment. A clear aim provides a firm foundation for leadership and decision-making. For organizaitons, an aim states the members' common interest and helps them align their activities with each other. An aim:
- States the concrete product or service being exchanged
- Indicates what distinguishes the product or service from other products or services
- Is stated in a way that the customer (exchange partner) can easily understand.
FORMULATING AN AIM
A common aim
is the circle's reason for existence. Circles should set their aims by consent
and review them every year or two to be sure they are leading to the desired results
A well-formulated aim meets the following criteria:
The desired result (service, product) is clearly stated
The specific quality which distinguishes it from other aims is included
The customer (people who have a need) must be able to recognize and understand the formulation. In other words, the aim must be clear through the glasses of the customer.
Well formulated aims:
Are the basis for measurement of the production process and for assessing consent arguments.
Reduce interpersonal conflict.
Make it easier to lead effectively.
Cautions:
Don't make aims too broad so that they have everything or nothing in them.
Aims should not express contrasts or conflict relationships such as social versus economic, labor versus capital, and so forth.
Don't divide aims, but distinguish. Aims are never isolated. Each is related to the next step or the next level of abstraction.
The customer
A circle supplies something to someone who has a need.
Ongoing exchanges must be on the basis of mutual consent.
When formulating an aim, make sure there is both a demand and a supple (overlap with the customer). Only then is an exchange relationship possible.