Let's get something clear - the point of this is to help coaches learn from the bad examples of leadership that I have seen over my 14 years working in college athletics plus my 10 years as an athlete. Does this mean every coach or every location I have been had bad leaders? No. But, I have seen some of the worst forms of leadership in my time as a coach and athlete - and I am trying to help coaches learn right from wrong. Make no mistake, there is right and wrong in the world of S&C. In a world where people say there are many ways to skin a cat (train athletes). I respond with sure, but what is the most effective, efficient, and painless for the cat.

With that being said, here is the reason why vision and mission statements are important for you and your staff in the weight room - clarity. Without clarity you really have nothing. Want to go somewhere, better be clear you know where you are going. If someone invited you to dinner and you said yes, you better have clarity. Is it at there house or your house? Or are you going out to eat? If so where are you going? What time will you get there? If it is a new location, you will need to know how to get there. How do you find your way? You CLEARLY type the address (or restaurant) into your phone and you follow the step my step directions to the location.

Now, how complicated are these directions your phone gives you? Is it some big long winded explanation? No. It is simple and clear - in X miles turn right. That is how your vision and mission statements need to be. Clear, simple, and to the point. Yes, it will sound fancy to use the school mascot as an acronym for the vision and mission statement or the core values. But does that stick? This idea comes from the book Made to Stick where ideas that are sticky are ones that people remember more (1).

The answer is no. Vision and mission statements that are the school mascot are not sticky, because people have to think wait, how do I spell that word. Then they spell it. Then they have remember what each letter would mean. That is not sticky. It is not right at the top of their head. But, make it simple and sticky and they will remember it. Remember, the vision statement is where you see the business going in the future; where the mission statement is how the business will get there (2).

While you might want to look fancy with how you can get the different words to fit from the school mascot - you are only fooling yourselves. And to prove this point, lets run a thought experiment. Lets pretend you are a large donor and you are on a campus tour with the AD. You see the vision and mission statement and how the letters of the school mascot create this cool acronym. Then, along the tour you ask the staff what the mission and vision statement is. They look at you with a blank look and stutter.  On the flip side. Imagine if there is not a long fancy acronym with 10 different points in the statements. Rather they are simple and to the point. Along the tour you encounter coaches, athletic trainers, coaches, support staff and they can all recite the vision and mission statement. Feels different doesn't it?

Now some of you might say Justin, what if they can make the mascot super sticky and everyone can remember it. Fine, but keep first things first. Make it sticky - then see if it can fit with the mascot. Otherwise you are trying to make chicken salad out of, well you know. For more on this watch this video.

Sources:

(1). Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die (Heath & Heath, 2007)

(2). Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/vision-vs-mission-statement (2023)