Vince Law
Vince Law
Aug 9, 2017 · 1 min read

Thanks for the note and feedback Erik Bullen! I agree — I have also seen (and been part of organizations) where vision is the higher-level concept and mission is the measurable, tactical component. While I prefer the mission being the higher-level concept, my best guess is that the difference in perspective stems from semantical differences.

For example, some people may use the word “mission” to define a broad concept, like “we’re on a mission to eradicate world hunger” while others may use the word “mission” in a more tangible (e.g. military) sense, like “this is a mission to capture a fugitive.” By chance, do you have a military or law enforcement background? :)

I think both ways are valid in their own rights as long as the whole organization aligns on their understanding of those terms.

Thoughts? Would love to hear what you think!

    Vince Law

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    Vince Law

    Product Consultant | Adjunct Professor | Executive Coach; former head of Product Management @ GA. https://vincelaw.co