Ever felt let down by a company’s bland, empty vision statement?
You know the kind:
You know the kind:
- "We aim to be the best!”
- “We strive for excellence.”
Please don’t be that company.
If your vision statement sounds like that, you're not setting direction; you're making noise. And noise doesn't move anyone.
When the vision is vague:
And if your vision reads like the confused pigeon above, you're just flapping around until you accidentally hit a window.
You need something real, something that actually means something.
- Leaders can't make hard trade-offs
- Employees don't know what really matters
- Customers have nothing to believe in beyond price
And if your vision reads like the confused pigeon above, you're just flapping around until you accidentally hit a window.
You need something real, something that actually means something.
What is a vision statement?
Unlike a mission statement, a vision statement describes the future your company is willing to commit to, and the dent it intends to make in the world.
It’s designed to light a fire under your employees, make investors reach for their wallets, and have customers dreaming about your future together.
Think of it this way: Your mission explains the grind. Your vision promises the glory.
What makes a vision statement exceptional?
Like DNA, vision statements are uniquely yours. They can be short or expansive, poetic or practical, but they all do one thing well: They make your direction unmistakably clear. Here are a few that get it right:
- LinkedIn: “Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce.”
- BBC: “To be the most creative organization in the world.”
- Apple: “To make the best products on earth, and to leave the world better than we found it.”
By the way, did you notice how each example soars high enough to inspire but stays just close enough to earth to believe?
That's the sweet spot.
The non-obvious truth about vision statements
Most vision statements fail for a simple reason: They’re written for approval, not belief.
They’re softened by committee. Sanded down to avoid discomfort and optimized to offend no one.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
If everyone instantly agrees with your vision, it’s probably not strong enough.
A real vision creates clarity by exclusion. It defines the future you’re choosing—and, just as importantly, the futures you’re walking away from.
If a competitor could adopt your vision tomorrow without changing anything they do, it’s not distinctive enough.
They’re softened by committee. Sanded down to avoid discomfort and optimized to offend no one.
But here’s the uncomfortable truth:
If everyone instantly agrees with your vision, it’s probably not strong enough.
A real vision creates clarity by exclusion. It defines the future you’re choosing—and, just as importantly, the futures you’re walking away from.
If a competitor could adopt your vision tomorrow without changing anything they do, it’s not distinctive enough.
How to write your world-class vision statement
Now you've spotted what's dragging your vision statement down, here's how to launch it forward:
Define the future you’re willing to say no to
Ask yourself: What future is worth narrowing our focus for? Great visions aren’t about everything you could be. They’re about the direction you’ll protect, even when tempting opportunities come along. If your vision doesn’t help you say no, it won’t help you lead.
Ask yourself: What future is worth narrowing our focus for? Great visions aren’t about everything you could be. They’re about the direction you’ll protect, even when tempting opportunities come along. If your vision doesn’t help you say no, it won’t help you lead.
Anchor it in who you really are
Does this vision reflect your values—or just your aspirations? If the gap between who you are and what you claim is too wide, people will feel it instantly. A vision isn’t an aspiration mood board. It’s a believable trajectory. Otherwise, you’re just writing corporate fan fiction.
Does this vision reflect your values—or just your aspirations? If the gap between who you are and what you claim is too wide, people will feel it instantly. A vision isn’t an aspiration mood board. It’s a believable trajectory. Otherwise, you’re just writing corporate fan fiction.
Make it vivid, not verbose
Your vision should create a mental picture people can’t unsee. Not through buzzwords, but through clarity. If your language could belong to any company in your industry, it belongs in the trash. Ruthlessly cut jargon. Keep what’s human.
Your vision should create a mental picture people can’t unsee. Not through buzzwords, but through clarity. If your language could belong to any company in your industry, it belongs in the trash. Ruthlessly cut jargon. Keep what’s human.
Optimize for direction, not outcomes
The visions that age well don’t lock themselves to specific metrics or market positions. Instead of: “Be the market leader in X.” Aim for: “Change how people experience Y.” One expires. The other evolves.
The visions that age well don’t lock themselves to specific metrics or market positions. Instead of: “Be the market leader in X.” Aim for: “Change how people experience Y.” One expires. The other evolves.
Make it uncomfortable—in a good way
A strong vision should make trade-offs obvious. It should create tension: This path, not that one. This belief not a safe alternative. If your vision feels a little risky, you’re probably doing it right.
A strong vision should make trade-offs obvious. It should create tension: This path, not that one. This belief not a safe alternative. If your vision feels a little risky, you’re probably doing it right.
Pressure-test it with the people who live it
Your vision isn’t for leadership decks, it’s for humans. Share it with employees, customers, and partners. Then listen. If they can’t remember it, don’t believe it, or can’t see themselves in it, it’s just expensive wall art.
Your vision isn’t for leadership decks, it’s for humans. Share it with employees, customers, and partners. Then listen. If they can’t remember it, don’t believe it, or can’t see themselves in it, it’s just expensive wall art.
Treat it as a living direction—not a frozen statement
Your vision shouldn’t change every year. But it should evolve as your understanding deepens. Revisit it when:
The best vision statements sharpen over time, not broaden.
Your vision shouldn’t change every year. But it should evolve as your understanding deepens. Revisit it when:
- Your market shifts
- Your ambition expands
- Your company matures
The best vision statements sharpen over time, not broaden.
The vision statement gut-check
Before you lock it in, ask:
The embarrassment test
The funeral test
If you hesitate on any of these, you’re not done yet.
- Could a competitor steal this without changing their behaviour?
- Would this still make sense in ten years?
- Does this help us decide what not to do?
- Can an employee explain it without notes?
- Add two more tests that rarely fail:
The embarrassment test
- Would you feel awkward saying your vision statement out loud at a dinner party?
- If the answer is yes, it’s probably too generic, too pompous, or too soaked in corporate-speak. Real visions sound human when spoken, not rehearsed.
The funeral test
- If your company shut its doors tomorrow, would anyone genuinely miss what your vision promised to bring into the world?
- If not, your vision isn’t distinctive enough yet. A great vision defines a future that would leave a noticeable absence if it never happened.
If you hesitate on any of these, you’re not done yet.
A great vision statement doesn’t just inspire, it aligns, filters, and focuses. It shocks your company out of drift and pulls it toward a future you’re choosing on purpose, not one you’re stumbling into.
Ready to craft a vision that actually moves people? Contact Copeland Creative, and let's build something worth believing in.
Ready to craft a vision that actually moves people? Contact Copeland Creative, and let's build something worth believing in.
Alison Copeland is the founder and creative director of Copeland Creative, a Toronto-based strategy and storytelling studio.