Spinning top in mud

Having a mission, without a sound vision is “spinning top in mud,” in other words, plenty action and motion, but not really getting anywhere. Mission without purposive action is wishful thinking. For most leaders in organisations, the big question is therefore how to lead a mission, which is based on a sound vision that translates into purposive action. In education it is critical, and this will be seen as the terms vision and mission are given meaning in the discussion.

There are a number of different components which contribute to the whole concept of a vision; the common denominator for all of them though, is that they exist in the realm of thinking, or in the head. Therefore, visioning speaks to intellectual and spiritual capacities. Vision can be interpreted to mean: a dream, an idea, image creation, revelation or prophecy. A vision, by all intents and purposes, is not concrete.

However, if we compare the image component of it to photography, we will notice that a vision is like the image the camera stores, or what is imprinted on the film. What is stored on the film is the idea, or the intent to become. It is only when it is acted upon that it becomes a reality, or tangible. A vision is therefore an abstraction, which is made concrete, through action. Through action, vision is transferred from one surface (the mind), to another, (the landscape of life) where it can be viewed and understood by others. There are some critical elements about vision that must be clarified. Since it is essentially ideas, conceived in the mind, it can be elusive. It is therefore very important that the vision be clear and adaptable to a landscape that is less ephemeral and more concrete. It is also critical that leaders in every layer of the organisation see the same picture. This is why it can be important, but not always necessary or possible for members of an organisation to create the vision together. However, whether created individuall., and it is for this reason that vision and mission go hand in hand.

Mission is vision concretized. Like vision, there are various layers to the concept of mission. Mission has a component that is task, duty, work, operation and job oriented. However, it also has a significant component that speaks to purpose, a calling and obligation. This latter component of mission is what gives meaning to, provides the motivation for, elucidates and provides focus for executing the vision. The mission of an organisation is therefore the lens through which every one else can see the vision of the organisation. It is therefore critical that we get the mission right, in order to send out the right picture.

These concepts of vision and mission are important ingredients in fashioning our schools and by extension our youth to be productive elements in society. Mission is living your vision. In schools all stakeholders should be guided to share, adopt and take ownership of the vision and mission of the school. At the systems level the vision is articulated in the values espoused by the school and at the structural level, it is demonstrated by the norms and behaviours in practice. The vision and mission of a school should be quite visible in the school’s practices, especially at the classroom level.

To avoid wishful thinking, which can result in a school being unproductive, staff relationships being strained and teacher student relationships becoming adversarial, the mission must be situated within a strong moral and spiritual purpose, which is also felt by the members and visible in their practice. The term spiritual does not mean religion, but speaks to a higher sense of self, intellectual capacity and a desire to act for the benefit of all. It calls for selflessness and integrity. It calls for reflective and reflexive action that results in a desire for continuous improvement of self, circumstance and those with whom the learning environment is shared.

Suffice it to say that an emphasis on systems and structure alone will not engender the successful fulfilment of a school’s vision and mission. A critical element in realising success is the nature of relationships within the learning environment. Members at all levels, especially the leaders should treat each other with respect, demonstrate care and concern and have as uppermost in their minds the welfare of people, because let’s face it, though structure and systems are important in an organisation, they cannot move and adjust themselves to improve, the human input is necessary.

Freddy James holds a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership and Innovation, University of Warwick

email-freddyleejames@hotmail.com