Using your Vision Statement to Turn your Vision into Reality
by Family Councils Ontario
In our final post in our Family Council Vision Statement series, we’ll explore how to use your Vision Statement to turn your vision into reality. To catch up on our Vision Statement series, read Envisioning a Bright Fall: Family Council Vision Statements and Tips for creating a Vision Statement.
A good Vision Statement helps keep your Council on track and its activities aligned with its ultimate goal. A good Vision Statement can also help to increase membership and build support for your Council’s activities. Here are a few suggestions for how to use your Council’s Vision Statement and how it helps to turn your vision into reality.
- Include your Vision Statement in materials such as your Family Council brochure or website and post it on your bulletin board
- Including your Vision Statement in your materials communicates to families, residents and staff your Council’s ultimate goal. It helps to communicate what your Council is aiming to achieve which can increase support for your Council.
- Include it in your Terms of Reference (when agreed upon and voted in as per your Council’s procedure)
- This ensure that it is officially included in your Council’s governing principles. You can then use it to determine if proposed ideas are in alignment with your desired vision.
- Use your Vision Statement as an ‘elevator pitch:’
- “An elevator pitch is a brief, persuasive speech that you use to spark interest in what your organization does. A good elevator pitch should last no longer than a short elevator ride of 20 to 30 seconds, hence the name.1” An elevator pitch can be used to share info about what your Council does and encourage people to join or support the Council.
- Say your Vision Statement out loud to open meetings or special events.
- Doing so sets the stage for what is to come in the meeting or event and demonstrates that the following will help to achieve that Vision.
How does your Council use its Vision Statement? Share your idea with us on Facebook or email (info@fco.ngo).
Stay tuned for next week when we launch our October blog post series!
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