Vision, Mission, and Core Values Statements

Definition of Mission, Vision, and Core Values Statements

Mission, vision, and core values are important statements that guide the behaviors of
leaders and employees of an organization. A vision statement describes the aspirations of an
organization. A mission statement describes what an organization intends to do in order to
achieve its vision while core values statement describes the beliefs of an organization and the
ethical values that guide the decision0making of its leaders and employees alike.

Best Practices from Atlantis Paradise Island

Vision, mission, and core values statements plays an important role in giving an
organization purpose, guidance, and identity. It is through proper formation of these three
statements that an organization gets to develop an effective strategy to guide its activities
(Casadesus-Masanell, 2014). A common vision also helps employees to coordinate their
efforts regardless of their level in the organization (Mehta, 2020). It is for these reasons that
organizations should give the formulation of the three statements the seriousness that they
deserve.

Formulating mission, vision, and core values statements require a lot of careful work
and introspection (Forbes Coaches Council, 2017). One of the ways of ensuring that an
organization gets it right is through using best practices developed and applied in other
organizations. In analyzing the development of mission, vision, and core values statements of
Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and Casino, there are a lot of lessons that may be useful for
other organizations.

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One, the development of the three statements should be done by a team rather than
one or two individuals. In the case of Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and Casino, the
consultant organized a workshop where various ideas for the three statements were discussed
before arriving at suitable statements (Applegate & Piccoli, 2014). Secondly, the team chosen
to discuss and select appropriate vision, mission, and core values statements should have
representatives from different levels of the organization’s hierarchy. In case of Atlantis, the
consultant selected participants of the workshop not just from the organization’s top
leadership but also from its lower-level employees (Applegate & Piccoli, 2014). Third, in
order for the core values, vision, and mission statements to be meaningful, they need to be
aligned with each other. In the example of Atlantis, the second day of the workshop was
dedicated to discussing whether the three statements were aligned with each other (Applegate
& Piccoli, 2014). Lastly, after development of the three statements, there should be rolled out
in a manner that ensures that all employees easily know them by heart (Applegate & Piccoli,
2010).

Sports Organization of Choice

The sport organization that I chose is the National Football League (NFL). It is an
association of franchises that manage American football. Its mission is “We unite people and
inspire communities in the joy of the game by delivering the world’s most exciting sports and
entertainment experience” (National Football League, 2019). Its core values are respect,
integrity, responsibility to team, and resiliency (National Football League, 2019). In
accordance with its mission and core values, NFL tries to make American football both
exciting and entertaining, and embraces everyone as a player or coach regardless of their
race, religion, or ethnicity.

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An example of the organization living up to its mission statement is the Super Bowl
game, played every first Sunday of February. One of the most-watched annual sporting event,
Super Bowl is a mixture of high-level football and great entertainment. As for its core value
of respect for everyone regardless of their background, the NFL has been a welcome home
for players and coaches of all races. A majority of its players are African-Americans. It also
has large numbers of Whites, Hispanics, and Asian Americans. The organization has also
been active in promoting individuals from minority groups into coaching positions where
they are often under-represented.

Type of Organization to Work For

Just like organizations need mission, vision, and core values statements, individuals
too need such statements in order to create a framework for their aspirations and how to
achieve them (Forbes Coaches Council, 2017). According to Casadesus-Masanell (2014), an
individual’s mission and goals should be based on a special sense of purpose. Having a
mission and vision is a common practice among successful people with some even writing
their own obituaries so that they get a clearer picture of their mission and vision (Abadi,
2018).

With regard to my personal vision and goals, I would love to work for a technology
organization that has a flexible work environment. My preference for a technology is because
most of the major world-changing ideas and innovations are occurring in the technology
industry and I want to be part of that trend. As for flexible environment, my goal is to be
remembered not just as an effective employee but also as a great family person who
dedicated adequate time for family. According to Kohnke (2020), many business
organizations are increasingly adopting flexibility as a core value and are, therefore,

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comfortable with having remote employees. Thus, I am optimistic that I will get an
organization whose flexibility fits my life’s goals and values.

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References

Abadi, M. (2018, November 21). 13 years after Steve Jobs said his mortality was a crucial for
decision-making, people are writing their own eulogies as a career exercise. Business
Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/obituary-exercise-eulogy-career-
development-2018-11

Applegate, L. and Piccoli, G. (2014, October 31). Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and Casino
(B): Improving Performance with New Core Values. Harvard Business School.

Applegate, L. and Piccoli, G. (2010, September 2). Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and
Casino: Improving Performance with a New Vision and Mission. Harvard Business
School.

Casadesus-Masanell, R. (2014, March 21). Setting Aspirations – Mission, Vision, and
Values. Harvard Business School

Forbes Coaches Council (2017, November 7). 13 Ways You Can Craft A Strong Personal
Mission Statement. Forbes.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2017/11/07/13-ways-you-can-
craft-a-strong-personal-mission-statement/?sh=1fd138b22dee.

Kohnke, B. (2020, April 24). 5 smart tips to help you excel at remote performance
management. Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/90495376/5-smart-tips-
to-help-you-excel-at-remote-performance-reviews.

Mehta, A. (2020). Vision and mission can drive your strategy. HR Future, 2020(1), 36-38.

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National Football League (2019, May 30). Mission and Values. NFL.
https://www.nfl.com/news/mission-and-values