How to Weave Mission, Vision, and Values into Communication
Are we all pulling on the same rope? Being an ambassador of your organization’s culture means that you know, live and speak your mission, vision and values (MVV). You create an environment where everyone is pulling on the same rope – the rope representing MVV. In Yvon Chouinard’s book, “Let My People Go Surfing,” he explains how things changed (for the good) once they crafted a clear mission, vision and values for his company. It is fascinating how long it takes some organizations to create, revise, and truly align with their MVV.
Your organization’s mission, vision, and values serve as the foundation for all activities and communication. When employees understand and connect with these guiding principles, they are more engaged, productive, and aligned with leadership priorities. As a leader, integrating mission, vision, and values into your communication is essential for creating organizational cohesion and inspiring staff. Here are some ways to weave these key elements into various communication channels:
Emails
Start by including the mission statement in your email signature. This simple step reinforces the mission and keeps it top of mind. When sending organization-wide emails, reference how the content supports the vision, mission, or specific values. For instance, “This new initiative will allow us to further our mission of environmental sustainability through paperless processes.”
Mention relevant values when recognizing employees or teams. “Your dedication and teamwork (our values) on this project delivered meaningful results that will help save water and reduce waste (our mission).” Integrating values into recognition deepens the significance.
Presentations
Begin internal presentations with a slide dedicated to the mission, vision, and values. Quickly explain how they relate to the topic at hand. “Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. Today I’ll be discussing a new training program supporting women entrepreneurs, which aligns with our vision to foster inclusion.” This contextualizes the purpose.
Refer back to these foundational elements throughout your presentation. “This marketing campaign targeting minority business owners supports our value of diversity.” Explaining the connections brings cohesion.
Meetings
Start meetings by reading or paraphrasing the mission and vision statements. Ask, “How does today’s agenda support our mission and vision? Do you see any gaps?” This frames the discussion through a strategic lens.
When facilitating meetings, steer conversations back to the mission, vision, or values if things veer off track. “I understand your frustration, but how can we move forward in a way that’s in line with our values of integrity and transparency?” This realigns everyone.
Media Posts
Craft social media posts that highlight how your organization lives its values and achieves its vision and mission. For example, “Through our employee volunteer program, we fulfill our vision of supporting local youth. Our staff donated 300 backpacks filled with school supplies, bringing our value of service to the community to life.” Showcase your priorities.
Feature stories of clients, partners, or communities that exemplify your values or mission. “Jane Doe overcame homelessness and addiction and now runs a nonprofit serving women in her former situation, aligning perfectly with our mission of empowering the disadvantaged.” This creates meaningful connections.
Newsletters
Incorporate the mission, vision, and values throughout your internal or external newsletters. Include a section upfront that ties featured stories to these foundational elements. For instance, “The new literacy program described later fulfills our mission of eliminating poverty through education. Volunteer opportunities highlighted leverage our value of service.”
When profiling employees, note how their work supports your vision and values. “John’s initiative to expand clean water access allowed us to further our vision of healthy communities.” This drives home the purpose.
Conversations
Reference the mission, vision, and values when speaking informally with employees. For example, if an employee seems frustrated, ask, “How do you think we could address this in a way that aligns with our values of transparency and inclusion?” If they express uncertainty over priorities, reiterate, “If it advances our mission of providing healthcare access, then it should be your key focus.”
Connect performance to mission and values during reviews. “Your work modernizing our systems has allowed us to better achieve our mission of top-quality education. And your collaborative approach reflects our values of teamwork and innovation.” This imparts meaning.
Weaving an organization’s mission, vision, and values throughout communication at all levels and through all channels helps create unity, clarity, and shared purpose. Employees feel connected to something larger than themselves or their individual roles. When messaging consistently ties back to these foundational guiding principles, organizations become values-driven and mission-focused…and there are many ambassadors of the culture.
Ready to try it out? We invite you to download a free Messaging with Values Worksheet to further explore ways in which you can elevate your ambassadorship of the culture: https://bit.ly/speakyourvalues
