Leading An Accounting Firm

13Mission: Making a Difference

“It’s easy to make a buck. It’s a lot tougher to make a difference.”

~ TOM BROKAW

As you put your values into practice, working toward your vision, you’ll need a clear mission (what you are about) guiding your firm every day. As a reminder, vision and mission are related, but they don’t express the same idea. Here’s the difference:

Vision.	Articulates what you want for your business—what it will look like in the future. A vision is idealistic: how big the company will grow and how it will be perceived by the outside world. A vision does not exist today, only in the future.
Mission.	Clarifies your purpose—the value you’ll offer, the services you’ll provide, and the ways in which you want your clients’ lives to change. A mission exists today and tomorrow.

Missions come in various forms; some are written statements, but others may not be written. The statement itself and its form are not important. The key is for the mission to capture the passion of the firm to serve others. Missions must state your defining purpose for obtaining and serving your clients and communities. Sometimes, the mission will include serving your employees and their families, as well. That purpose is timeless.

In this chapter, we’ll discuss the benefits that a mission brings your accounting firm. I’ll share with you many examples of well-crafted missions to which you may compare your mission. Included in this chapter will be various worksheets to guide you through the ...