Vision: The Key to Renewing Your Organization

• NCJ Number: 193854
• Journal: Sheriff Volume: 54 Issue: 2 Dated: March/April 2002 Pages: 46-50
• Author(s): Chester M. Miller III
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article reviews the need for law enforcement organizations to develop a vision, mission statement, and core plan. It emphasizes the need for a vision, which is the key to renewing an organization.

Abstract

The three-part process that a law enforcement organization must undergo in the renewal process includes a vision statement, which describes where the organization is going; a mission statement, which describes how the organization is going to get there; and a core plan, which demonstrates how the organization is going to do it. Many organizations do not have a vision statement. Some confuse a vision statement with a mission statement. A vision statement moves the organization toward some future goal or achievement while a mission statement guides current, critical strategic decision making efforts. When beginning the process of forming a vision, think about the services an agency provides and the citizens who receive them. A vision statement must be challenging yet attainable. It should be kept brief and to the point. The second step in the renewing process is to establish a mission statement. The mission statement is critical in the organization’s strategic plan. Creating a mission statement is one of the first actions an organization should take after an effective vision is created. A mission statement serves as the foundation for an overall strategy and development of more functional strategies. There are some basic things that need to be taken into account when developing a mission statement: the target audience, its length, and its ability to withstand the test of time. The final step is constructing a core plan. Planning is the art of identifying, organizing and constructing thoughts and ideas in a timely sequence that focuses on reaching a desired outcome. The necessity to construct a plan for an existing situation is referred to as a reactive plan. When a plan is created from an anticipated event, it is considered a proactive plan. Law enforcement leaders need to abandon antiquated management practices. A mission and vision statement should be the driving force of an organization.