MISSION: WHY? HOW? WHAT? Norm Craige, University of Vermont VASFAA Conference June 9, 2015

What is Your Mission?

Why Mission??  What Is MISSION?  Why Do We Need To Understand Our Mission?  How Can We Clarify What our Mission is?  What Difference Does it Make?

MISSION: “an important goal or purpose that is accompanied by strong conviction; a calling or vocation” (dictionary.com)

BusinessDictionary.com defines Mission Statement as: “A written declaration of an organization’s core purpose and focus that normally remains unchanged over time. Properly crafted mission statements (1) serve as filters to separate what is important from what is not, (2) clearly state which markets will be served and how, and (3) communicate a sense of intended direction to the entire organization.”

To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.

Starbucks: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.

"The mission of …… is to give our customers the best food and beverage values that they can find anywhere and to provide them with the information required to make informed buying decisions. We provide these with a dedication to the highest quality of customer satisfaction delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, fun, individual pride, and company spirit."

Trader Joes: "The mission of …… is to give our customers the best food and beverage values that they can find anywhere and to provide them with the information required to make informed buying decisions. We provide these with a dedication to the highest quality of customer satisfaction delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, fun, individual pride, and company spirit."

"Offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them."

IKEA: "Offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them."

“Maintaining a global viewpoint, we are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction.”

Honda: “Maintaining a global viewpoint, we are dedicated to supplying products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price for worldwide customer satisfaction.”

The Best Mission Statements Should:  Be Distinctive and Meaningful  Be Simple, but not Simplistic  Make an Emotional Connection  Be Communicated Consistently  Inspire Action

Boise State University The role of Student Financials is to keep students central in all decisions and actions. It is our goal to provide accurate financial information, guidance and support for students pursuing higher education. We recognize the distinct needs of each student while supporting the mission of the Vice President of Finance and Administration and Boise State University.

Gonzaga University We are dedicated to helping students and families in the pursuit of their educational goals by providing financial information and resources in a professional and individualized manner. We recognize the unique and intrinsic value of each person and are committed to serving all in an environment of equality, responsibility, and dignity.

University of Texas Austin We provide financial services to assist students in realizing their dream of graduating on time from The University of Texas at Austin.

University of Vermont We work collaboratively within the broader University community to support the University’s goal of attracting and retaining a diverse and talented student body while fully adhering to all fiscal and regulatory requirements. We utilize the talents and skills of our service-oriented team to provide students and parents with outstanding service and with the critical information they need to make fully informed choices regarding funding a higher education.

Where to Begin??  VISION: Understand the Bigger Picture  VALUES: Know What is Important to You  TEAM NORMS: Understand What it Will Look Like

Have a Vision Mission tied to Vision Mission is guiding principle for how you will operate, Vision is the goal and purpose behind the Mission. UVM SFS Vision Statement: We strive to be an exemplary national model for Student Financial Services through our creative and proactive approaches to campus and community engagement, innovative stewardship of resources, and commitment to providing students and parents with exceptional service and support.

Know Your Values  Values = What is Most Important to You?  What Drives Us?  What Is The Common Ground Beneath The Specifics of What We Do

Our Values Building a Respectful Community Inside and Out­  We share a commitment to cultivating a sense of community. We value a respectful and trusting environment where everyone feels that their viewpoints are appreciated. We promote an atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration, both within our office and in the broader University community. Flexibility is integral to our success, and we strive to support the other members of the team. We seek to educate and learn while treating ourselves and others with respect and being mindful of our time together. Integrity  We take responsibility for our actions and hold ourselves individually and collectively accountable for providing students, families and colleagues with sound guidance, accurate information and superior service. We respect the integrity of our work by maintaining compliance while carefully stewarding our limited financial and human resources. Diversity and Inclusion  We value the ideal that all individuals deserve to be treated with respect. Our community is enriched by a diversity of experience, of perspective and of culture. We embrace this diversity with open minds. We treat our colleagues, students, families and customers in a manner that is respectful of their point of view, background, cultural identity and upholds their dignity. Learning, Innovation, and Empowerment  We value and engage in ongoing personal and collective learning. We promote innovation and creativity as a means to continuously improve. We empower our staff to act in the manner that best serves our students and the University.

What Is This Going To Look Like?  What Behaviors May Need to Change?  Are We Doing Things That Don’t Support the Mission?

Team Norms Collaboration We:  Work together to find solutions and take an innovative, proactive approach to improvements  Work together to implement and adjust to change Celebration We:  Embrace fun, celebration and humor  Focus on what we, as individuals and as a group, can do to improve morale Communication We:  First seek to understand before we try to be understood  Share new information with each other in a timely manner  Listen to and provide timely feedback regardless of departmental unit or job title  Provide our input and trust that decisions are made considering all viewpoints Support and Respect We:  Put forward our best effort  Do not make assumptions about the intent of an individual’s or group’s actions or words  Own that our actions and words have impact  Ask for and provide help to each other when needed and as quickly as priorities allow  Respect each other’s personal life and commitments  Respect each other’s time by adhering to schedules  Do not start or perpetuate gossip in the office  Are patient, empathetic and compassionate to our customers and each other Diversity We:  Strive to accommodate different learning styles and needs  Continue our conversations and education related to cross-cultural competency and utilize our knowledge to create an inclusive environment  Recognize that our team and community can be stronger because of our differences. Learning We:  Are committed to professional development opportunities for all staff  Encourage life-long learning

MISSIONVISION VALUESTEAM NORMS