A consultant was asked to work with a large academic medical center's top leaders on their strategies and future plans. The leaders exhibited a great passion and desire to improve their organization and meet forthcoming challenges. However, they felt that the center's direction was inconsistent. Some indicated that it seemed to adopt each fad and then discard it almost as quickly. Others felt that the center had good strategic goals but did not seem to implement them.
To address these conserns, the consultant presented the principles of mission, vision, and values. As a learning exercise, he asked the leaders to comment on various missions and visions he had gathered from various healthcare organizations, including the centers own mission and vision. Discussion ensued regarding the good and bad points of the different missions and visions. At the conclusion of this discussion, the consultant asked the group to identify the organizations to which the missions and visions belonged. Many guesses ensued. When they came to the centers mission and vision, no one recognized the statements as the center's own.
1. Why do you think the leaders did not recognize their own mission and vision?
2. How does this lack of recognition tie in with their perception of inconsistency in the center’s efforts?