Question # 1
Summary
This sort of comparison also serves as a benchmarking tool. Due to the gap created, it is imperative to ascertain that the club is putting necessary efforts while establishing budget commitments to attaining the new desired level. Use of the symbolic automobiles to elucidate the strategic mission and vision statement of the club will result in a more modest agreement with regards to the clubs’ positioning after members of the board evaluate the projected costs. This gap directs members of the club to appraise its actual status rather than the ideal, and it demands for constructive participation by members to ascertain how they can reach an agreement as they foster their efforts towards achieving their new status. The gap can be addressed operationally through staff training, operating budget controls, capital expenditure, and the project capital budget.
There is also the emphasis of classification of clubs. For instance, the Rolls-Royce-Level club members do everything on the highest level it does not intend to do anything below the level of Roll-Royce. This means that it focuses its marketing towards appealing to the elites of the Southern California. Rolls-Royce being a prestigious car; the club will also deal with high-end clients. However, there is nothing wrong with being a Chevrolet club. After all as the doctrine of ultra vires dictates, clubs shall only ensure they stick to the stipulated objectives stipulated in their work permits. This does not mean that Chevrolet clubs are poor; they are just stratified below the prestigious ones and still serve certain entities at more affordable rates thus making some very successful.
Question # 2
Application of these elements to effective leadership
Vision and mission statements are the key factors of any organizations strategic planning. They must be ratified by the board of directors and should be communicated to staff from the highest to the lowest echelons, volunteers, members and other stakeholders. The vision statement elaborates on what the organization sets to achieve serves as an inspiration to members, staff and the supporters. Vision statements elaborate on things would be different due to the organization’s operational activities and how the organization would want to portray their image.
Good visions are motivational. Some are achievable in the short run while some prove hard-to –reach ideals. In both cases though, the vision helps establish the ubiquitous contribution the organization makes to the society. A vision describes the reason for existence of the organization, and this is essential during crises as it helps the management and staff to remember the important aspects. Despite the interrelation between mission and vision statement, mission emphasizes on the intended actions that would be ideal to achieve the vision of the organization.
As an effective leader, it is important to ensure that the staff and all the stakeholders involved or partners of the organization have a mission and vision statements inculcated in them. The staff must work towards achieving organizations goals. Leaders are responsible for making change and bringing new ideas (Fulmer & Bleak, 2009). They are supposed to empower people to unveil their hidden potentials. They say if one desires to be a leader; he or she should act like one and strive to shape a better reality. For instance in the article, it is indicated how the clubs are stratified and how some would wish to be listed among the best. As a leader, it is important to analyze the current status of the club and its ideal type. Therefore, to achieve this, the leader should enlighten the staff on the gap that is available and encourage them to work hard with regards to the mission statement of the organization to achieve their milestones. Leadership is about chasing vision and not money. Lack of vision makes the organization have no purpose of operating. As a leader, benchmarking against the best organizations would help in rectifying the mistakes made that would otherwise impede growth. Vision is inspirational and aspirational thus demands time and efforts to achieve it. It, therefore, calls for the coordination of all the necessary activities towards it while motivating every staff of the organization towards achieving it.
As an effective leader, one should operate within the budget of its organization. It is important to define your organization uniquely however small it is. Acceptance of your organizations limit and defining purpose of existence is important. The values of your organization should be upheld in the highest standard possible. For instance, a staff wishing to impose the fringe benefits he observed in the organization he visited in his present work place is unethical of him and does not recognize the value of his organization.
Question # 3
How I feel about the article
Mission statements are action-oriented and strategic plans may involve changing the mission statement to reflect the new direction of the organization. Highlighting the benefits of the change while alleviating the deficits will aid the staff and the public to accommodate the change. The vision statements also emphasize the values of the organization that serves to direct the employees’ behavior and help in motivating them to work towards achieving their goals. Strategic plans may need appropriate marketing strategy which would encompass the vision statement also to help inspire consumers to partner with the organization.
Success of the change will only be realized after continuous communication of the mission and vision statements thus impede any form of discouragement among the employees and other stakeholders. This will also make the staff engaged and inspired in the process. It is also incumbent on the board of directors to always reiterate the strengths of the strategic plans and allow the participation of relevant stakeholders in the process. Involvement of employees and volunteers in the process will also help them to realize and be proud of the impending change. In addition, it also helps employees to prepare psychologically to mitigate possible hitches.
Finally, from the article, I realized that strategic planning will probably have an equal share of success and failures. Failures ought to help prevent the repetitions of same mistakes from occurring in the near future. The leaders should appreciate the small success as a sign of moving in the right direction towards achieving the goals enshrined in the mission and vision statement. Mission statement in this case would help to assess whether the strategic plans match the set objectives of the organization. Since the vision statement serves to motivate the employees and members, those who feel invested in the transformation of the organization are more inclined to remain inspired and enjoy higher levels of efficiency.
Work Cited
Fulmer, R., & Bleak, J. The strategic development of high potential leaders: Strategy & Leadership. (2009). Vol.37 pp.14-21
