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Vilma Cobos
Business Consultant, El Salvador
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The Cathedral and the Importance of Communicating the Vision and Mission
Three stonemasons (stone workers) are working at a stonemasonry (workshop) when a traveler comes in and asks them, "What are you doing?"
- The first stone mason, who seems bored and unhappy at his job and is frequently looking at his watch, replies: "I'm just hammering rock".
- Then the visitor approaches a second worker who seems happier and is working more diligently, and asks again: "What are you doing?" and the second worker responds, "I'm molding this block of rock so it can be used to construct a wall".
- Finally the traveler approaches a third worker who is working on the stones fervently and with great care and precision, and again the visitor asks "What are you doing?" The worker replies:
"I'm building a cathedral."
Above anecdote reminds us that many of the employees in any organization do not know the vision and mission of their company. And even less how important their own work is in achieving its objectives. This has severe consequences for their motivation and organizational commitment.
I conclude that communication of the strategic vision, corporate mission, purpose and values is really important. And information about these things must flow to all hierarchical levels of the organization so that all employees feel part of them and are clear about their own objectives and the role/importance of their own work for the purpose of the organization as a whole.
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PT de Boer, Netherlands
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Make People Carry the Vision in their Hearts A touching story which demonstrates not only the need for communicating a vision; it also shows that a vision is only effective when people carry it with them in their hearts. If the priest would preach to start building a cathedral and the people would look around and see only a few people sitting in a tiny chapel they will think it a useless vision.
Working on a vision which makes sense to the people is a complicated task.
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BarbaFroid
Italy
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Vision and Cathedral This story, like the koan of the Japanese Zen, can have various interpretations. Just think of dictatorships, how much rhetoric they use! Think, in CCCP, speeches about the construction of a socialist society... And then just read "overloaded tramway" of Evtuskenko!
The 3rd answer might be meaningful, but then the stone-worker must be truly involved in the project, not just "the communication of a vision".
Editor: Certainly visions, rhetoric and charisma all can have a dark side when they're used in the wrong way by the wrong people.
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VENKATESH
Manager, India
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Some Leaders are Reluctant to Communicate the Mission and Vision Clear communication of the vision and mission is of utmost importance. People/organisations often have hidden agendas behind their missions/visions.
Some types of leaders are reluctant to convey the full details and importance of the mission either being afraid of demands from its employees for more facilities/ benefits.
But it's crucial that while making a tapestry the people working at the back are shown the beauty of the outcome of their job.
Having done a good job should also be appropriately be rewarded instead of finding mistakes after the job is done.
It is seen that whenever there is clear and transparent communication of the objective, outcome and process people get involved in it to their best.
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Nic Roest, Netherlands
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The Cathedral Story is not About Selling! The essence of the story is not in the need of SELLING your vision to your co-workers.
It's about the importance of co-workers knowing why they are part of a team, department, company. If you don't share them in the bigger picture, you are limited to motivation mechanisms solely focused on their specific tasks...
So yes, let's motivate our stonemasons by using our vision to move rock from A to B.
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Nkomo
Manager, Zimbabwe
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Vision and the Story of the Stonemasons This may be an old story, but I believe in what Vilma is trying to achieve in organizations.
Workers must know the ultimate goal of their work so that they will work consciously and not mechanical.
Knowing the vision and mission of a company is important because this future outlook and these company goals are generally beneficially to the worker himself/herself in the long run, provided of course the company is not a profit maximizer that doesn't care about the social aspects of its activities.
Visions explain the social aspects and thus could motivate workers.
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Carlos Barbera
CxO / Board, Spain
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Communicating the Vision and Mission is One Thing; ENGAGING is Another! I fully agree with the message of the story, to communicate the mission and vision properly is important. But convincing and motivating the employees to engage wholeheartedly in them is at least as important.
At least in my case, the second part is most complicated.
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Mohankrishna
Manager, India
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The Cathedral and the Importance of Communicating the Vision and Mission A vision can be personal (set by a person for himself) or organizational (for an organization).
For personal vision, an individual is responsible. But for the vision of the organization, the entire management team has to work together to make it a shared vision. Hence communication is much more important for an organizational vision.
More important than the above is whether the meaning of the vision is correctly understood or not. Leaders must ensure that it is understood such that it will be kept to the hearts of the team. If this process is not adopted, every group might interpret the vision in their own way, keeps working in different directions, and may be successful in achiveing the group's vision, but not in the shared vision.
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Jack Martin Leith
Management Consultant, United Kingdom
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Parable of the Stonemasons Thanks for publishing this story. I mention it briefly in my five-minute Ignite Bristol talk, Enriching the world: is it good business practice?. I've added a link to your article. Best wishes from Bristol, UK.
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Mutumishi wa Wote
Kenya
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Communicating Vision and Mission Here is an example of a complex subject discussed in a simple way. Thank you for the story and thanks to all who have contributed, it makes interesting reading....
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Jaap de Jonge
Editor, Netherlands
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Powerful Story About the Stone Masons and the Cathedral @Raphael Gichora Mugo: Indeed stories are known to have the ability to communicate complex ideas or things in a simple and powerful way.
Our brain and memory are very good at remembering stories. Thi...
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ISAAC MUCHENGA
Director, Zimbabwe
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The Leader's Role in Communicating the Vision and Mission The HR (psychological) part of leadership is one of the most difficult tasks. A motivated and engaged employee is more receptive to strategic issues of vision and mission of the organisation.
Of cour...
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Daniel Jarvis, United States
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There are also Other Motivational Approaches... This parabel exhibits paramount points to create synergy within an organization by illuminating the importance of making every employee realize their value.
However, I would add celebrating short-ter...
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Charles Alter
Consultant, United States
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Envisioned Future Jim Collins says a vision must be a longterm Envisioned Future, not just a short-term concept of where an organization is headed. Coupled with a huge challenge to achieve it, called a BHAG - big, hair...
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Pat Hannon
Lecturer, Ireland
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How Good are we at Communicating the Vision and Mission to Stakeholders? The vision is the foundation for the mission. Forming an effective mission (which should be visionary) needs a high degree of ethical standards from employees which in turn guides behaviour as they wo...
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Gandhi Heryanto
Management Consultant, Indonesia
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Excuses for not Having Clear Vision and Mission I quote what was said by Jack Welch, GE's chairman:
"Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.
I see a lot...
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ISAAC E. OGBUKA PhD
Nigeria
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Benefits of Clarity of Purpose in the Vision and Mission Statements Whenever the vision statement is simplified and properly communicated to the team and workforce timely, the result is always fantastic. It first of all leads to value creation and facilitates a rapid ...
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Elias Mhegera , Tanzania
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The Cathedral and the Importance of Communicating the Vision and Mission Probably that is true but in the Tanzanian context I would think that even if the vision and mission are there, a hungry stomach caused by poor salaries will make them invisible as it has been in many...
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Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
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The Mission is the Means to Achieving the Vision I am reminded of the old project management joke:
"When you are up to your eyeballs in alligators, it is hard to remember that your mission is to drain the swamp."
Editor: ~when you are workin...
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Mohammad Hossein Rohani
Teacher, Iran
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Combination of QWL and the Vision Of course, the communication of the vision and mission is really important. At least at the level of middle managers and team leaders who are engaged with the body of organization.
But I personally a...
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Daniel MOUSSOUGAN
Strategy Consultant, Benin
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Who Told Me that we Were Building a Cathedral? That is an excellent story, describing realistic situations that whow the ways we understand our organization's goals and the role we are playing in it. Though the three employees may be judged differ...
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Jack Blanc, Peru
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The Cathedral and the Vision The three workers will all eventually finish their job. But the three of them will put a different amount of effort in it. And only the second and third one benefit from the joy of fulfilling the view...
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ABEBE KEBEDE
Interim Manager, Ethiopia
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On the Relevance of Management Communication You know, sometimes I see people coming to office each day and simply waiting for the last minute to go out and I ask myself for how long are they doing this, always being there for the sake of nothin...
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Hermann Doppler
Consultant, Germany
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Story is Basis for 3 Perspectives The stone workers story was exemplary to me for years. I know it by Peter Drucker and Fredmund Malik who was a Student of Peter Drucker.
For me the story is the basis for 3 perspectives:
1. It's the...
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Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
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Obligations of Management for the Received Value of the Worker's Opportunity Costs @abebe kebede: F.W. Taylor disdained of the worker who just "soldiered on' day after day, without the spark of enthusiasm of the joyful stonemason. Taylor was a Quaker and the term was pretty much an ...
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Emmanuel Mwirichia
Manager, Kenya
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Help the Employees Help You In order for each employee to feel like their work is valued a lot, it is important for the leaders/managers to constantly remind them that they are part of a bigger system and purpose.
When I know h...
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Hardtmann
Entrepreneur, Germany
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Communicating the Vision Requires PASSION So it is Inspiring. @Carlos Barbera: Hi Carlos, I believe that if you have a vision in which you believe, and are able to share it in such a way to inspire others (vs simply showing it, which may result in different or m...
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alvarez-pereyre
Coach, France
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The Stone Carvers Parable: The First Stone Carver The Stone Carvers Parable has been a simple, direct and powerful eye-opener for many in my consultancy and coaching work for years. Besides, it opens so many doors on related fields (such as strategic...
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Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
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The Leader and the Player and Management's Ego Need for Followers @Hermann Doppler: I like your observation very much.
The three men could be seen as players on the same team, each supporting the other. The bored stone mason is doing the very rough shaping of the s...
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Mirza Fareed Beg
Management Consultant, Pakistan
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Vision Begets Mission and Then Mission Needs Vision (Direction) Tom Wilson has rightly @said that the mission grows out of the vision. This view is also held by a large number of management practitioners. And indeed it is true for any organization when it is being...
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Okorie Emmanuel
Manager, Nigeria
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Communication at the Workplace and Mentality of Workers Towards Their Work The story, whether true or fiction clearly shows the mentality of workers towards their work based on their understanding of why they are doing what they are told to do at work and the final outcome.
...
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Jose A. De las Rivas
Management Consultant, Spain
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Mision and Vision Communication at Workplace But what we're talking about: employee engagement? And what about the commitment of leaders, managers and directors who in most cases are just looking for different ways of handling deals to hide the ...
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Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
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When Vision Becomes the Mission, the Mission Needs a Vision @Mirza Fareed Beg: I think you have it about right. The entrepreneur has a vision of a widget and his mission is, first, to create the widget, and, there after, to deliver that widget (or build that c...
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Carlos Barbera
CxO / Board, Spain
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Mission and Vision Communications in an Environment of Problems @Jose A. De las Rivas: You are right Jose Antonio, leaders of the project or company are the first goal of communication of Mission and Vision, and of course they should be committed to them.
The pro...
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Charles Alter
Consultant, United States
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Vision & Core Values @Carlos Barbera: The dilemma is that lofty Visions and Missions are lost during the stress of crisis management, which is the new normal for many companies. The acid test for what stays and what is lo...
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Wayne Faison, United States
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The Difference Between Vision and Mission This is a great story that reminds me of what I've always been taught concerning the difference between vision and mission. Vision relates to what one is seeing and aspiring to become, while mission r...
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ABEBE KEBEDE
Interim Manager, Ethiopia
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Vision Communication @Tom Wilson: if we are looking into what has actually been happening in most of the private companies today, some employees know that the company's vision is not theirs and you cannot simply tell them...
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Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
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There Is, Indeed, a Lack of Stewardship in Corporate Leadership @abebe kebede: I agree completely, Most of what is put out by CEOs as vision statements are self-serving justifications for looting the corporate treasuries and payrolls and stripping assets in order...
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Jose A. De las Rivas
Management Consultant, Spain
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Mission, Vision and Core Values @Carlos Barbera: Thanks Carlos, but I think that not only is a particular problem of the crisis in Spain but rather a problem of lacking ethics and values that dominate the business worl...
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John Sunderland
HR Consultant, United Kingdom
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Lack of Trust is the Real Problem This is a very unlikely scenario - didn't medieval cathedral builders actually have a strong collective vision? OK maybe this is just a parable and not a real case study about motivation in the cathed...
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Mohamed Tantawi, Egypt
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Thank you for Reminding Us About This Great Story Thank you very much. I read this before, think it was mentioned in The 7 habits by Steven Covey... Anyway, I was happy to read it again as I had forgotten about it....
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Leena Bissoonauth
Student (University), Mauritius
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Communicating Mission & Vision This story shows how these three workers are reacting differently.
Stories are indeed what shapes the employees' behavior which may be positive and negative. Only a clear vision provides the foundati...
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Gwande
Project Manager, Zimbabwe
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We Need Communication plus Ownership of Vision and Mission The story is good but I agree with @alvarez-pereyre that it's not only communication that makes the team work accordingly but its actually ownership. The team has to own the strategy and want to move ...
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salem ahmed
Teacher, Yemen
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Is There a Match Between an Individual's Expectations and the Organization's Expectations? For the question: How and when are individuals committed to the vision of organization, I recommend to pay attention to motivations: they have a significant impact on the amount of effort made by indi...
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Augustine T. Mansaray
Analyst, Sierra Leone
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The Mission is the Means to Achieve the Vision @Tom Wilson: I totally agree with your take on this subject especially in situations where motivation is mostly driven by extrinsic rewards such as good pay and work benefits. In particular in the pub...
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Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
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On Capitol Hill, the Mission is All for Staffers @Augustine T. Mansaray: I responded in another forum about Capitol Hill staffers being deferred from Obamacare.
I have been in DC for 40 years and, at one point, had many contacts on the Hill from ru...
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VENKATESH
Manager, India
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Reaction to Vision and Mission Differs per Individual In continuation of my earlier submission my view is that each one is working / doing the duty as per his / her motivation. These motivations are the result of the whole gamut of circumstances in which...
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Richard Mariwa
Manager
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Communicating Vision, Mission and Values Most organisations have elaborate vision and mission statements stated in glossy strategic agenda documents but the linkage to the corporate DNA which affects employee response is missing. Leaders may...
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Tom Wilson
HR Consultant, United States
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Communicating Motivation @Richard Mariwa: Richard, I tend to agree with Venkatesh: the metrics for motivation is different for each stone mason and the issue for me is how that motivation shows up on time and ready to play ou...
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alvarez-pereyre
Coach, France
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Communicating Motivation @Tom Wilson: I would fully agree that the existential value of one is not higher or lower than that of any other stone carver.
It may be necessary, though, to reflect upon which of the contributions...
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Gary Stead
Director, United Kingdom
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People on a Mission Great story and insightful comments. So how about our stonemason - is he a target (to sell our vision to or to motivate to follow it)?
If so - the engagement is a push. When it is a pull - the motiva...
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KAMUSIIME INNOCENT PENTAGON
Analyst, Uganda
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Entrenching the Mission and Vision of the Organization Within the Workforce I highly appreciate all contributions that have been submitted about this subject matter. I therefore submit as follows:
Mission and vision are broad statements that hold a lot of meaning to the runn...
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Ephraim Oryina Mue
Accountant, Nigeria
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Vision and Mission Statements as an Organizational Motivator Good write up. I once worked in an organization where reciting the vision and mission statements daily before the start of business was a culture. And till this moment, I still remember those words. M...
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Olaf de Hemmer
Business Consultant, France
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Motivations are Different for Every Stakeholder I very much like this story that I often use in my Value(s) Design training, based on the explicitation of stakeholders' needs.
But the conclusion is NOT that every mason should answer "I'm building ...
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Bradley Pallister
Innovation Consultant, United Kingdom
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The Third Mason's Response is a Testament to the Power of Purpose-driven Work Building a cathedral isn't just about cutting stones or earning money; it symbolizes a greater vision, a legacy that extends far beyond the individual. Purpose-driven organizations, like that visionar...
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Ian van Jaarsveld
Consultant, South Africa
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Communication of Vision and Strategy Communication of the Vision or any other element of the company's strategy starts with all the relevant stakeholders being engaged in the crafting of the vision and whatever strategy that will be depl...
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kayode Fayemi
Entrepreneur, Nigeria
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Effective Communication of Vision and Mission 1. Keep it visible
Make sure the vision is communicated to all staff, along with the goals that will bring the organisation's vision to life. The vision should empower your staff to be more effective...
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Maurice Hogarth
Consultant, United Kingdom
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The Importance of Involvement of Individuals The 'Cathedral Workers' story correlates with a similar story about the cleaner at NASA who replied to the question: "What is your job?", with: "I'm part of the team putting a man on the moon."
Wheth...
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kayode Fayemi
Entrepreneur, Nigeria
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Visualizing Mission, Vision and Strategy as a Funnel Mission and vision create a target for strategy development. That is, one criterion of a good strategy is how well it helps the firm achieve its mission and vision. To better understand the relationsh...
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