Leaders should 

emphasize the current mission statement to employees, which

clarifies the purpose and primary, measurable objectives of the organization. A
mission statement is meant for employees and leaders of the organization. Strategic
plans may involve changing the mission statement to reflect a new direction of the
organization. Highlighting the benefits of the change and minimizing the deficits will
help employees and the public buy into the change.

Another way to look at it is that mission statements describe the company's mission as
it is now and for the near future. So if the company is undergoing major changes, it
would make sense to revise the mission statement so it is current.

Role of the Vision Statement

Like mission statements, vision statements help to describe the organization's
purpose. Vision statements give direction for employee behavior and help provide
inspiration. Strategic plans may require a marketing strategy, which could include the
vision statement to also help inspire consumers to work with the organization.

A vision statement is a view into the future with hope and a positive outlook. It
describes a company's inspirational, long-term plan for what they'll be able to
accomplish, who they will help, and how the company will then be perceived. It's often
out of reach for now, but not so far out of reach as to be unattainable. The vision
statement gives everyone a description of what they're working towards.

Purposes of Strategic Planning

Strategic planning will likely have its successes and failures. Leaders should celebrate
the little successes toward meeting objectives, which are part of the mission and
vision statement. The mission statement will help measure whether the strategic plan
aligns with the overall goals of the agency. The vision statement helps to provide
inspiration to employees. Employees who feel invested in the organizational change
are more likely to stay motivated and have higher levels of productivity.

Encouraging Continued Engagement

A successful change will involve communicating and repeating mission and vision
statements, which helps prevent people from becoming discouraged in the event of
small failures along the way. Leaders should continue to highlight the strengths of
the strategic plan and involve important stakeholders in the process. Engaging
employees and volunteers will help them to recognize and take ownership of the
change. Involving employees also helps to provide more minds to prevent possible
problems.