Organizations in start-up mode need to formulate their mission and vision statements early on to ensure that every critical step in the initial phase is on point. Often, it is easier to see the mission and vision than it is to clearly and concisely capture them in writing. This discussion exercise is designed to help you formulate and write a clear, focused mission and vision statement using a fictitious company.
Occulari Optique is a new, privately held eyewear company offering the finest eyeglass and sunglass frames from around the world as well as in-store optical (lens) services. Headquartered in San Francisco, the company plans to open fifty stores in the next twelve months in key market cities, including Los Angeles; San Diego; Dallas; Chicago; Miami; New York; Cincinnati; Boston; Washington, D.C.; and Atlanta. Its competitors include Optical Shop of Aspen and Paris Optique.
The company wants to set itself apart with its customer service, one-of-a-kind frames, superior lens crafting, and ninety-day money-back satisfaction guarantee. Additionally, the CEO is passionate about creating an organizational culture that respects and values employees. It has been decided that team members will receive, in addition to a comprehensive benefits package, two free pairs of glasses per year, profit sharing, ongoing training and education, 100 percent tuition reimbursement, and three weeks of vacation per year.
One of the company’s primary goals is an initial public offering (IPO) within fourteen to sixteen months.
Based on the above information, write both a compelling mission and vision statement for Occulari Optique. The mission and vision statements should be presented at the beginning of your posting.
After you compose vision and mission statements, evaluate your statements and the organization by addressing any one of the following bullet point sets of questions.
Defend the way that you formulated your mission and vision statements. What did you include in each and why? What did you intentionally leave out and why? What did you find most challenging about constructing the statements?
What are the most important facts the public and employees need to know about the organization to answer why we exist? How should your mission and vision statements be disseminated to the public? To the employees? What should be done to assure that the most important facts are clearly communicated and understood?
What makes the organization different from its competitors? What is the organization’s greatest value proposition? Beyond just constructing simple mission and vision statements, how should the organization leverage its uniqueness for competitive advantage?
What keywords best summarize what this company stands for? How might the keywords provide both prescriptive and descriptive potential for communicating organizational values? What behaviors might be expected in the organization if the selected keywords actually reflect values-in-use?
Full Answer Section
In formulating the mission statement, I focused on capturing the core purpose of Occulari Optique – enriching lives through eyewear. This encompasses not just providing a product, but also the added value of "exceptional eyewear" (highlighting quality and uniqueness), "personalized optical services" (emphasizing the in-store lens crafting), and a "world-class customer experience" (addressing their key differentiator). I also deliberately included "within a supportive and empowering employee culture" because the provided information strongly emphasized the CEO's commitment to employees, making it a fundamental aspect of the company's operating philosophy and a potential competitive advantage.
In the vision statement, I aimed to paint a picture of the company's aspirations and future state. The phrase "to be the leading and most trusted destination" sets a clear ambition. "Distinctive eyewear and superior optical care in key urban markets" specifies their target market and core offerings. I included the elements of "unparalleled customer satisfaction," "unique frame selection," and "expert lens craftsmanship" to reiterate their key differentiators. Importantly, I also included "a thriving employee community" to reinforce the internal culture as a vital part of their identity and success. Finally, I added "ultimately culminating in a successful public offering" as this was explicitly stated as a primary goal within a specific timeframe, signaling their ambition and providing a tangible milestone.
I intentionally left out specific details about the types of frames or the exact nature of the lens services in both statements to keep them concise and broadly applicable as the company grows and potentially evolves its offerings. Similarly, while the 90-day money-back guarantee is a strong offering, I opted to include it under the umbrella of "world-class customer experience" in the mission and "unparalleled customer satisfaction" in the vision, rather than making it a specific point, to maintain the statements' strategic focus. The specific employee benefits, while significant, were also not explicitly mentioned to keep the focus on the broader cultural value.
The most challenging aspect of constructing these statements was balancing the need to be both aspirational and grounded in the immediate realities and goals of a start-up. Including the IPO goal in the vision statement felt somewhat tactical, but given its prominence and short timeframe, it seemed important to acknowledge the company's growth trajectory. Ensuring that the statements were compelling and memorable while also being informative and reflective of the company's core values and differentiators required careful word choice and iteration. I wanted to avoid generic retail language and instead highlight the specific elements that set Occulari Optique apart.
Sample Answer
Mission Statement: To enrich lives by providing exceptional eyewear, personalized optical services, and a world-class customer experience, all within a supportive and empowering employee culture.
Vision Statement: To be the leading and most trusted destination for distinctive eyewear and superior optical care in key urban markets, recognized for our unparalleled customer satisfaction, unique frame selection, expert lens craftsmanship, and a thriving employee community, ultimately culminating in a successful public offering.
Evaluation of Mission and Vision Statements and the Organization:
Defend the way that you formulated your mission and vision statements. What did you include in each and why? What did you intentionally leave out and why? What did you find most challenging about constructing the statements?