A vision statement for a company or organization focuses on the potential inherent in the company's future; it’s about what they intend to be. While a vision statement might contain references to how the company intends to make that future into a reality, the "how" is really part of a mission statement. The vision statement is a description of the "what," meaning, what the company aspires to be.
Best Examples of a Vision Statement
Even with a good definition, it can be difficult to clearly understand the concept. What is a vision statement? These statements made by some of the world's most innovative and successful companies will help you understand:
Apple Computer
"We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products and that's not changing. We are constantly focusing on innovating. We believe in the simple not the complex. We believe that we need to own and control the primary technologies behind the products that we make, and participate only in markets where we can make a significant contribution. We believe in saying no to thousands of projects, so that we can really focus on the few that are truly important and meaningful to us. We believe in deep collaboration and cross-pollination of our groups, which allow us to innovate in a way that others cannot. And frankly, we don't settle for anything less than excellence in every group in the company, and we have the self-honesty to admit when we're wrong and the courage to change. And I think regardless of who is in what job those values are so embedded in this company that Apple will do extremely well."- Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Computer (Quoted on Business Insider).
PepsiCo
"Our vision is put into action through programs and a focus on environmental stewardship, activities to benefit society, and a commitment to build shareholder value by making PepsiCo a truly sustainable company. At PepsiCo, we're committed to achieving business and financial success while leaving a positive imprint on society - delivering what we call Performance with Purpose." (Quoted from PepsiCo.)
Amazon
"Our vision is to be earth's most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online." (Quoted from Amazon.com on Facebook)
Microsoft
"Microsoft is a technology company whose mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. We strive to create local opportunity, growth, and impact in every country around the world. Our strategy is to build best-in-class platforms and productivity services for an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge infused with artificial intelligence ("AI")." - (Quoted from Microsoft Annual Report 2017 as reported by GeekWire)
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Ikea
“Our vision is to create a better everyday life for many people.” - (As reported in The Boomerang Principle)
Patagonia
“Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” - (As stated on Pagagonia.com)
Disney
“To entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.” - (As stated by The Walt Disney Company)
Vision Statement Ideas to Inspire
Now that you've seen some inspiring examples of vision statements from real companies, hopefully you're starting to get ideas for your own vision statement. Vision statements don't have to be as grand as those above. Small local companies might simply aspire to have the friendliest customer service in town or offer the freshest, locally grown produce.
The vision statement helps the organization simply define its goals, creating something to work towards in the future. Often your vision can be summed up in one or two sentences, as in these examples:
- To help people stay fit and healthy.
- To have our product in every home in the United States.
- To help people enjoy life by offering an affordable solution to health care.
- To provide delicious, seasonal food and a fun atmosphere that will bring customers back again and again.
- As we move towards our goal of being a world-class university, we will support research on a global scale. Locally, our campus will service the research needs of the learning community, granting access to many informational resources.
- The XYZ Company will inspire its employees to be the best they can be. We will engage in sustainable practices and anticipate the needs of our customers. We will maximize return to the stockholders while still maintaining quality in our products.
- Our vision is to bring our students into the 21st century through innovation and modern technology. Learning will be enhanced with computer software and educational games that will allow students to proceed at their own rate according to their ability.
To further help you, we've broken down the vision statements for two potential businesses.
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Sample Vision Statement for an Online Retailer
“We intend to provide our customers with the best online shopping experience from beginning to end, with a smart, searchable website, easy-to-follow instructions, clear and secure payment methods, and fast, quality delivery."
From this statement, you can clearly tell that this company is an online retailer. You can also tell they have put a lot of thought into their goals. They don't simply say that they want to be "the best" online shopping site - they give a list of ways in which they intend to do that. This is a quality vision statement because it outlines the specific future they intend to create for themselves, but it doesn't give specific steps on how they will do it (better saved for a mission statement).
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Sample Vision Statement for a Hair Salon
"Our salon will change the way you think about a haircut. Full service comfort, friendly staff, a relaxing atmosphere, and the best prices in town give you an experience that will leave you glowing both inside and out."
Again, it's clear from this vision statement what type of business is behind it. It also gives a good, clear list of goals, without being too specific or wordy. It paints an overall picture of a pleasant, successful business that the company hopes to become. Since the vision statement isn't just a vision of your future - it's also a vision you're presenting to your customers about who you are - it's important that it do just that.
Writing a Good Vision Statement
Looking at these different vision statement examples should give you a good jumping off point for knowing what a vision statement is and how to write one. Writing a vision statement has a lot in common with writing a mission statement, but it’s about describing your vision for the future.
Keep these tips in mind:
- Keep it short. A typical vision statement is brief and succinct; it will say a lot in just a few words, so those words must be very carefully chosen.
- Think long term. The key to a good vision statement is to think of things in a long-term, broad sense, but without sounding generic.
- Don't be too specific. If you are, you will limit your vision, and it won't be applicable five years down the road.
- Be clear about your company. The best statement will be clear about who you are as a company, as well as who you wish to become.
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Your Vision for the Future
You can use these same principles for creating a vision statement for a company or business to make your own personal vision statement. Ultimately, whether you’re a company or an individual, it all comes down to connecting your statement to your core values and your vision for the future.
FAQs
What is an example of a good business vision statement? ›
Here are some of the best examples of inspiring vision statements: Amazon: “Our vision is to be earth's most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online.”
What is an example of a vision statement of an organization? ›Vision Statement Examples
Nike: “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.” Twitter: “To give everyone the power to create and share ideas and information instantly without barriers.” Walmart: “Be the destination for customers to save money, no matter how they want to shop.”
“Our vision is to create a better everyday life for many people.” That's aspirational, short and to the point. More than that, it sets the tone for the company and makes it clear that they're in the market to offer low-priced good furnishings that suit everyone's lifestyle.
What is Nike's vision statement? ›Nike Vision Statement
We see a world where everybody is an athlete — united in the joy of movement. Driven by our passion for sport and our instinct for innovation, we aim to bring inspiration to every athlete in the world and to make sport a daily habit.
Tesla's vision is to “create the most compelling car company of the 21st century by driving the world's transition to electric vehicles,” while its mission is “to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport by bringing compelling mass-market electric cars to market as soon as possible.” Tesla used a transitional ...
What is Amazon's vision? ›Amazon vision statement is an extension of its mission as "to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavours to offer its customers the lowest possible prices."
What is Starbucks vision statement? ›To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.
What is the vision of IKEA? ›“To create a better everyday life for the many people.” This vision goes beyond home furnishing. We want to have a positive impact on the world – from the communities where we source our raw materials to the way our products help our customers live a more sustainable life at home.
What are the 3 parts of a vision statement? ›It's comprised of three parts: what you do, how you do it, and why you do it. A vision statement outlines the company's long-term goals and aspirations for the future in terms of its long-term growth and impact on the world.
How do you write a powerful vision statement? ›- Outline the basics. Start your process by answering some important questions about your company:What is your company's mission? ...
- Speak to your employees. One of the primary goals of your vision statement is motivating your team. ...
- Be ambitious. ...
- Keep it short. ...
- Make it unique.
What is Nordstrom vision statement? ›
Nordstrom Vision Statement
To serve our customers better, to always be relevant in their lives and to form lifelong relationships.
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. That's why Search makes it easy to discover a broad range of information from a wide variety of sources.
What is Coca Cola's vision statement? ›Our vision is to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love, to refresh them in body & spirit. And done in ways that create a more sustainable business and better shared future that makes a difference in people's lives, communities and our planet.
What is the vision statement of Louis Vuitton? ›Throughout the world they are all ambassadors of our vision of a refined art de vivre. “Our Maisons at LVMH have always championed and embodied a refined art de vivre.
What is Adidas vision statement? ›Adidas vision statement is to be the design leaders with a focus on getting the best out of the athletes with performance guaranteed products in the sports market globally.
What is Uber's vision statement? ›3. Uber's Vision Statement. Uber's vision statement is "Transportation as reliable as running water, everywhere for everyone." .
What is Toyota mission statement? ›Mission and Vision Statements are as follows: Mission Statement: "To attract and attain customers with high-valued products and services and the most satisfying ownership experience in America." Vision Statement: "To be the most successful and respected car company in America."
What is Disney's mission statement? ›The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world's premier entertainment company.
What is Netflix's vision statement? ›The vision of Netflix is: Becoming the best global entertainment distribution service. Licensing entertainment content around the world. Creating markets that are accessible to filmmakers.
What is Apple's vision and mission statement? ›Vision – We believe that we are on the face of the earth to make great products, and that's not changing. Mission – Bringing the best user experience to its customers through innovative hardware, software and services. Apple's vision statement is clear, concise, and to the point.
What is Google's vision statement and mission? ›
Mission: "Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful." Vision: Google's Android phones offers its users free access to Google Maps and provide navigation and communication.
What is Costco's vision statement? ›Costco's Vision Statement
Costco's vision is to offer its customers a hassle-free, quick buying experience while continuously improving the operations for prompt availability of products and services.
We strive to keep you at your best, and we remain loyal to you, your tastes and your time. That's what America runs on. Dunkin' is the world's leading baked goods and coffee chain, serving more than 3 million customers each and every day.
What is Pepsi vision statement? ›For our shareholders
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision that captures PepsiCo's competitive spirit, intense focus, and shared values: to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+).
WeWork was founded in 2010 with the vision to create environments where people and companies come together and do their best work.
What is Southwest Airlines vision statement? ›Our Vision
To be the world's most loved, most efficient, and most profitable airline.
We aim to build a better world — helping people live better and renew the planet while building thriving, resilient communities. For us, this means working to create opportunity, build a more sustainable future, advance diversity, equity and inclusion and bring communities closer together.
What 5 things make for an effective vision statement? ›- Brevity. A good vision statement is succinct, which makes it easy for managers and leaders to communicate and employees to remember. ...
- Clarity. ...
- Abstract and Challenging. ...
- States the Organization's Purpose. ...
- Future Focused. ...
- Sets a Desirable Goal. ...
- Matches the Organization's Success Measures.
Good vision statements have common components: It is written in the present, not future tense. They describe what we will feel, hear, think, say and do as if we had reached our vision now. It is summarised with a powerful phrase.
What are the 5 main characteristics of a vision? ›What are the main characteristics of a vision? Research on visionary leader- ship suggests that visions have five characteristics: a picture, a change, values, a map, and a challenge (Nanus, 1992; Zaccaro & Banks, 2001).
What is leader vision examples? ›
Examples of a Leadership Vision Statement
I will help my organization grow and achieve its goals. To develop a good relationship with my team members and encourage them to achieve their full potential. Using communication, positivity and empathy, I will ensure the work environment is effective and enjoyable.
A clear and compelling vision statement tells people inside the organization what you aspire to achieve – why you are there – what is the good you seek to create in the world. It also tells those you want to convince to join you – funders, partners, clients/audiences – why what you are doing is important.
What is the strategic vision of a company? ›A strategic vision delineates management's aspirations for the company's future, providing a panoramic view of “where we are going” and a convincing rationale for why this makes good business sense.
What is TJ Maxx vision? ›We are committed to making a positive, sustainable impact on the world in which we live and conduct business.
What is Hollister vision statement? ›The Hollister Group Vision Statement
Everyone is a leader of their own life. We, at Hollister, are committed to strengthening connection, creativity, and productivity by inspiring this realization in all.
Our Dream is to bring people together for a better world. Beer, the original social network, has been bringing people together for thousands of years.
What is Samsung mission statement? ›Our mission & approach
Samsung follows a simple business philosophy: to devote its talent and technology to creating superior products and services that contribute to a better global society. To achieve this, Samsung sets a high value on its people and technologies.
KFC's Vision Statement
"To provide food in a quick, pleasant setting that caters to cost-conscious, health-conscious people," says the KFC vision statement.
The vision statement for Christian Dior is, "To become the world's most popular brand in all products that enhance their lifestyle." Christian Dior Couture. Christian Dior Couture group have more than 4000 stores globally with presence in 35 countries across the globe.
What are some good vision statements? ›- BBC: “To be the most creative organization in the world”
- Disney: “To make people happy.”
- Google: “To provide access to the world's information in one click”
- IKEA: “To create a better everyday life for the many people”
- Instagram: “Capture and share the world's moments”
What is a good professional vision statement? ›
Everyone's will look different, but here's an example: “My vision is to be an honest, empathetic and impactful project leader and to be recognized internationally within my industry. I am committed to growing as a leader and delivering value-added projects to the end users.
What is a good strategic vision statement? ›A strategic vision statement supports the mission statement, but is more tangible. It describes an achievable future state of an organization—exact timelines may vary, but typically range from three to 10 years. This statement should help you and your employees visualize where the organization is headed.
What is Facebook's vision statement? ›Our full mission statement is: give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. That reflects that we can't do this ourselves, but only by empowering people to build communities and bring people together. Our lives are all connected.
How long should a vision statement be? ›A vision statement is a short statement—about one sentence—that describes the goals and ambitions of your for-profit or nonprofit company. It distills your company's vision for the future in a way that reflects your company's core values, and outlines your company's long-term goals.
What is an example of a company vision and mission? ›Mission statement: We strive to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best available selection, and the utmost convenience. Vision statement: To be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.
What are the seven strategic pillars of vision? ›Vision 2050 is built on seven strategic focus areas which are referred to as pillars: Human Capital Development, Gender, Youth, and People Empowerment; Wealth Creation; Institutional Development and Service Delivery; Security and International Relations; Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change; Spiritual ...