Update your mission, vision & values
Foundations built for another moment won’t hold through big change. Chris Erickson on when outdated mission, vision, and values need to be updated.
Summary
Chris Erickson flags outdated foundations as a warning sign. If a company’s mission, vision, or values were written a decade ago, or before major change or new leadership, they no longer describe the business. Shifts in the business put pressure on foundations built for another moment, and the cracks are probably already showing.
Highlights
- Foundations written years ago are probably no longer accurate.
- Massive change or new leadership calls for an update.
- Business shifts put pressure on old foundations.
Key insights
Foundations have a shelf life
Mission, vision, and values describe a company at a point in time. When the company changes, they have to change with it.
Look for the cracks
Confusion, drift, and mismatched decisions are signs the foundations no longer fit.
Detailed analysis
Change moments like an acquisition, a new CEO, or a shift in direction are exactly when old foundations stop working. Updating them is part of navigating the change, not a cleanup task for later. Waiting only lets the gap between the words and the business grow.
Conclusion
If the business has changed, the foundations should too. Update them before the cracks spread.
Old or outdated foundations are another signal. If your mission, if your vision, if your values were developed 10 years ago, if you’ve gone through massive change, if you have different leadership, this stuff needs to be updated. It’s just not correct. Shifts in your business put pressure on foundations that were built for another moment. The cracks are probably already showing.