What is a team vision statement?

A team’s vision is a brief statement describing the group’s direction or goals. It details what the smaller group within the organization wants to achieve going forward. Each team member’s actions contribute to achieving the vision.

Why you might create a team vision

Successful teams often have a clear purpose and vision to help employees work toward common goals, resulting in improved focus, clarity and confidence. The statement can help each worker align with the team’s overall goals, which may help optimize productivity, increase collaboration and support decision-making.

Uniting your team around a vision can create a culture of belonging within your company, potentially leading to improved performance and inspiring greater innovation.

Company vs. team vision statements

Your company vision statement offers overarching guidance for all employees, while a team vision focuses on a smaller internal group. The following differences typically apply:

• Scope: Broad, all-encompassing company vision statements reflect the values of the entire organization. Team vision statements have a narrower scope that focuses on the goals of a smaller group.

• Detail: Team vision statements are often more complex and detailed than corporate visions because they cover a small segment of the company’s activities.

• Adaptability: While company vision statements rarely change, you may adapt team vision statements frequently as old goals are met and new goals and challenges arise.

How to create a vision for a team

You can develop an effective vision planning process with the following steps.

1. Brainstorm with your team

An effective vision is typically targeted and focused on a long-term goal. Consider your team’s skills and how they can be used to fulfill a company’s purpose.

Asking team members to participate in brainstorming ideas for the team vision can help you generate meaningful ideas. Group members may better understand their duties and how they relate to the greater team purpose. Participating in the process might also help them feel more committed to the vision.

A team vision statement can help challenge employees to reach an attainable goal that aligns with the company’s vision. Provide that context for team members to help them focus their suggestions and generate effective ideas.

3. Create an initial draft

Using the ideas from the team, you can draft an initial vision statement with a longer format than the finished product. Then, you can remove unnecessary details from the statement, keeping the central idea intact. This can be done by the team leader or with the help of a small committee.

4. Make adjustments if necessary

Allowing the team to review and provide feedback on the draft can help you improve the team vision statement. It also helps give your employees ownership over the statement.

You might also seek feedback from other company members, such as another team leader or an executive team member. They might provide a different perspective that helps refine the statement and better describes your team’s future.

6. Use your team vision statement

Finding ways to incorporate your team vision statement into your day-to-day operations can help create a shared identity and define brand identity. You might adding it to your company email signatures or create a display in a shared space.

Team vision statement examples

Consider the following team vision examples to understand what works well:

• Reliable data from the best sources the way you need it

• Resolving issues promptly with accuracy and transparency

• Taking the best care of the company’s greatest asset: the employee s

• The best technical solutions in the shortest time possible

• To support each other while making the world a better place

• Helping others realize their full potential by creating attainable goals

• Publishing stories that give a voice to underrepresented communities

• Furniture that makes your house feel like a home

• Offering accessible IT solutions to the average computer user

• Supporting sustainable food systems to protect the planet and its people

• Marketing services that put a unique spin on any product or service

Ways to reinforce your vision for a team

A team vision statement generally becomes useful when your employees put it into practice. The following tips help reinforce the vision.

• Remind your team of the vision: You can do this at the end of staff meetings, in emails and in conversations with individual members.

• Lead by example: Using the team vision to guide your actions may encourage other employees to follow it. You can do this through your hiring choices, meeting focus and daily interactions with others.

• Encourage accountability: Challenge employees to incorporate the team vision statement into their daily activities. If the customer service team envisions offering fast, transparent resolutions for clients, they might practice this by creating a clear business communication plan.

Frequently asked questions about team vision

What is the difference between a vision statement and a mission statement?

A vision statement is aspirational, describing a team’s purpose and aspirations. A mission statement describes how your team fulfills that vision through its processes and daily activities.

What is the difference between a vision and a strategy?

The team’s vision sets the goal of what they want to accomplish, and the strategy describes how the team intends to reach that goal. If your team’s vision is to have positive interactions with every customer, your strategy to achieve this might involve reducing wait times and producing quick resolutions.

Who generally determines the team’s vision statement?

While you might involve workers in creating the team vision statement, the final decision is often the responsibility of the team lead or manager. However, individual team members may offer helpful feedback based on their direct experience with your company and how they perceive its values and each department’s contributions. This can also help you consider whether your company’s processes actively reflect the team vision.

For example, if your team’s vision statement is “Knowledge sharing to educate employees and the public,” you want to ensure information isn’t siloed and standard operating procedures (SOPs) are in place.