A Vision, Mission and Values must describe overall direction, so getting it right is an imperative but also a challenge. This holy trinity of statements, also known as the ‘Core Framework’ is your hymn-sheet or roadmap, and is broken down in order as:
- Your Vision: Is your goal or ambition; what your school hopes to achieve
- Your Mission: Is what colleagues are there to do; their professional purpose
- Your Core Values: Are what you believe in; how things get done
At first glance, writing a strong Core Framework like this would appear a straightforward task, but, in reality, it requires careful planning and good leadership in order to avoid the common pitfalls:
Common Pitfalls & Solutions
- Pitfall 1: Too long
Solution: Keep it short, simple and memorable - Pitfall 3: Repetitious use of words
Solution: Use key-words once for maximum impact - Pitfall 4: Written by only a few people
Solution: Involve your entire organisation in the process - Pitfall 5: Uninspiring and not challenging
Solution: Be courageous and aspirational - Pitfall 6: Has no practical use (other than as a display or prospectus text)
Solution: Commit to promoting your Core Framework on a daily basis
A good Core Framework is worth its weight in gold
It describes and ensures your high-performance culture. It not only guides leadership but the entire organisation too. It articulates your drive and distinctiveness, as such must be simple and memorable. In fact, these are the two most important attributes of an effective Core Framework and, by keeping it simple and memorable you will ensure that it can be communicated daily, at every level within your structure.
Once written well, then the cyclical process of revisiting and reflecting upon your Core Framework at regular intervals is a wonderful and enjoyable way of keeping it alive within your community. That’s why we introduce ‘Community Core Framework Sessions’ once a year to organisations, opening doors for people to come and see, celebrate and share examples of how the Vision, Mission and Values are put to amazing use.
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