Vision Management FAQ

What is the difference between vision and mission?

Vision and mission are often confused but serve distinct strategic functions in organizations and partnerships:

• Vision: Describes the desired future state – the big picture of where the company or alliance wants to be in 5–10 years. It is inspiring, emotional, and often somewhat abstract. A good vision motivates all stakeholders and provides long-term orientation. Example: “We want to become the leading provider of sustainable mobility solutions in Europe.”
• Mission: Defines the current purpose and role – why the company exists and what it does today to achieve the vision. It is concrete, action-oriented, and describes how value is created. Example: “We develop and market innovative e-mobility solutions for urban areas.”

In strategic partnerships, this distinction is particularly important: partners may have different individual missions but must develop a shared vision for the alliance. This shared future vision becomes the unifying element that guides decisions beyond individual projects.

A vision board is a visual strategy tool that makes a partnership’s or organization’s shared future vision tangible and communicable. It combines images, graphics, keywords, and metrics into a clear representation of intended goals and values.

Unlike text-heavy strategy documents, a vision board leverages the power of visual communication. It concretizes abstract future ideas and allows all stakeholders to emotionally connect with the goals.

Typical elements of a professional vision board:

• Central future vision as the core statement
• Key images symbolizing the desired state
• Measurable objectives and milestones
• Values and principles of collaboration
• Stakeholder map showing roles and expectations

In strategic alliances, the vision board serves as a common reference, regularly used in meetings, presentations, and decision-making. It clarifies what the partnership stands for and where it is heading – particularly valuable in complex collaborations with many participants.

Choosing the right categories determines whether a vision board delivers strategic value or is merely decorative. Proven categories for strategic partnerships include:

Strategic Dimension:

• Market position: Where do we want to stand in our market?
• Value creation: What unique benefits do we generate together?
• Innovation: How do we drive progress and development?

Operational Dimension:

• Collaboration: How do partners ideally work together?
• Processes: What working methods do we aim for?
• Resources: How do we optimally use our shared resources?

Stakeholder Dimension:

• Customers: What experience should customers have with our alliance?
• Employees: How should teams feel and develop within the partnership?
• Society: What contribution do we make to our environment?

Outcome Dimension:

• Measurable goals: Specific KPIs and milestones
• Success stories: Which achievements do we want to celebrate together?
• Legacy: What lasting impact do we aim to create?

Important: Less is more. 6–8 categories are sufficient to maintain focus and avoid overload. Categories should match the specific partnership and be regularly reviewed for relevance.

Timing is critical for effectiveness. Best moments include:

• At the start of a partnership: Immediately after the strategic decision to form an alliance but before operational implementation. At this stage, stakeholders are open to jointly defining objectives and sharing expectations. The vision board becomes the foundation of collaboration.
• At strategic turning points: When market conditions change, new partners join, or original goals are met. A new vision board helps realign the partnership strategically and bring stakeholders on board.
• During conflicts or crises: When partners have diverging ideas or collaboration stalls. Working on the vision board together restores clarity and revitalizes cooperation.
• During growth and scaling: When expanding a successful partnership or entering new business areas. The vision board helps systematize success and transfer it to new areas.

Warning signs that a vision board is overdue:

• Unclear priorities in daily collaboration
• Different interpretations of partnership goals
• Declining motivation among key stakeholders
• Difficulty making strategic decisions

A vision board should never be created during a crisis or under time pressure. The best time is when all partners are mentally and temporally available and can collectively envision the future.

Strong visions are clear, inspiring, and measurable. They go beyond profit maximization and create emotional connections with stakeholders:

• IKEA Germany: “To create a better everyday life for many people.” Simple, universally understandable, emotionally appealing, and flexible enough to guide innovation across areas. Every product decision and business strategy can be measured against this vision.
• Tesla: “To become the most compelling automotive company of the 21st century,” paired with the mission “to accelerate the advent of sustainable transport.” Tesla combines business ambition with a clear sustainability goal, positioning itself as a driver of change in the automotive industry.
• Microsoft (Sustainability): The vision is “to become carbon negative within the next ten years” and “remove more CO2 from the atmosphere than we produce by 2030.” Measurable sustainability goals go beyond carbon neutrality and position Microsoft as an active climate leader.

What makes these visions strong:

• Clarity and Understandability: Simple, concise language without buzzwords. Employees can explain the vision in their own words.
• Emotional Impact: Appeals to basic human needs – better daily life, clean environment, technological progress – creating intrinsic motivation.
• Measurability: Goals like Microsoft’s CO2 targets and Tesla’s market leadership are concrete and trackable, ensuring accountability.
• Future Orientation: All visions look 5–10 years ahead, providing a clear development path beyond current business results.

For strategic partnerships, this means: a shared vision should emotionally engage all partners, define measurable goals, and promise societal value beyond mere profit maximization.