How Can Leaders Ensure That Strategy Matches The Vision, Mission, And Values?


Assignment Question:


Class,


In the last unit, we learned about vision, mission, and values. In this unit, the text states: “…a strategy captures and communicates how vision and mission will be achieved and which goals and objectives show that the organization is on the right path to achieving them.” What negative consequences can emerge when vision, mission, or values contradict strategy? Name a time where you believe strategy was not aligned with vision, mission, or values. How can leaders ensure that strategy matches the vision, mission, and values?


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Assignment Answer:


  Negative consequences are sure to emerge when vision, mission, or values contradict strategy.

  A vision is the picture of a destination a company or individual wants to get to. The mission reveals how it plans to get there. It's values reveal what the company or individual stands for, but a "Strategy reveals what an individual or organisation will do or will not do" while it's on its mission to it's vision.

(Carpenter, M., Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2010). Management Principles 1.1., Chapter 5)

  If what a company will do and will not do is contrary to its mission, vision, and values; the negative consequence of failing to fulfill its mission and get to its destination is inevitable.

  How can you get to the right destination (desired vision) if you are not willing to travel the road that leads to that destination, but you are willing to travel a road that moves in a contrary direction from your desired destination. 

  The consequence is certain failure.


  One time I believe strategy was not aligned with vision, mission, or values was when in my teenage years there was a Streetball Tournament that was to roll into town.

  My friends and I where actually some of the few people in that town who where known to actually play basketball in town where everybody else was into soccer.

  We had the best player in town on our team and our vision was to win that tournament.

  The goal of the tournament was to find out who the best player in the town was. We already knew. 

  Everybody else in that town didn't really go for basketball, they all loved and where into soccer but we knew that some of them would still join the tournament because of the Price Money.

  Our vision and mission was to win. Hard word was a value we where taught to hold dear.

  Sadly, our strategy was in the opposite direction of our values, mission and vision.

   Our strategy (which was no strategy) was to just show up and win because we thought. Well why bother. We are the best. Others who are entering the tournament are not even into basketball to begin with.

  Why should proper training and preparation become part of our strategy?

  Needless to say we were disgraced and kicked out of the tournament after our first game.

  Our team only scored only two points at the end of the entire game.

  It turned out that pride goes before a fail (literally), and a lot more people in town knew how to play basketball than we thought 


  Leaders can ensure that strategy matches the vision, mission, and values by performing their duty of planning in the POLC framework quite properly.

  After the vision, mission, and values have been outlined, only then can they begin to work on their Strategy.

  One's strategy should be based on one's vision, mission, and values.

  If you draw up a strategy based on your vision, mission, and values; they would certainly match your vision, mission, and values.

   

  

References: 

Carpenter, M., Bauer, T., & Erdogan, B. (2010). Management Principles 1.1.