From Vision through Values to Mission

From Vision through Values to Mission
by Luke Setzer

My previous articles about developing a global Objectivist club network have focused on "learning lessons" from various proven companies and clubs ranging from BB&T to Toastmasters. Given those lessons learned, what would an overall blueprint for the proposed Objectivist network resemble? To answer that question requires identifying the actual components of a good blueprint followed by an outline of the particulars that concretize those abstract components for this network.

Components of a Sound Organizational Blueprint

The previous "lessons learned" articles offered plenty of evidence from which to induce the common elements of any effective and enduring organization. A good blueprint for such an organization will have four elements and will prominently publish them for both newcomers and old hands to browse:

A vision statement concisely articulates what the organization strives to become.

A values statement concisely articulates the standards to which the organization intends to holds its conduct, i.e. its ethical code, and such a code will align with its vision.

A mission statement concisely articulates what the organization intends to do continuously over the long term to achieve its vision in alignment with its values.

A strategic plan statement concisely articulates the short range and intermediate range goals and their action plans to reshape the world into the form of its mission statement in alignment with its values.

It follows from these observations that a global Objectivist club network needs a similar structure with particulars uniquely arising from the philosophy of Ayn Rand. The remainder of this article details those particulars.

VISION

Our organization continuously fosters opportunities to bring people together face to face to share the philosophy of Objectivism and provides them with intellectual and moral support.

VALUES

Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit. --Aristotle

Achievement of our vision requires a set of values -- standards grounded in reality -- to shape and to guide our organization. As practical character traits, these values empower our organization to achieve its vision. These values integrate with each other and the world at large. The following concepts, consonant with the Objectivist ethics, describe the ideal character of our organization.

1. FOCUSED
Our organization remains intent on fulfilling its vision without distraction.

2. UNIVERSAL
Our organization reaches all locations populated with rational beings.

3. SIMPLE
Our organization streamlines its operations to the bare essentials needed to achieve its vision.

4. STABLE
Our organization flourishes immortally.

5. PROFITABLE
Our organization manages its finances wisely so that its bottom line remains positive.

6. AFFORDABLE
Our organization makes its cost of membership as low as possible.

7. NONPARTISAN
Our organization avoids official endorsement of particular political parties or candidates.

MISSION

Through its programs of recreation, education and activism, our organization satisfies in the most flourishing manner possible the basic needs of its members: Spiritually, it helps them to discover objective meaning for their lives in the world; Emotionally, it helps them to achieve a deep sense of bonding, both internally and externally; Mentally, it instructs about rational and objective means for knowing; Physically, it supplies tools and techniques to guide right actions. In the broadest sense, ontologically, it serves their needs for being. When each member sets an example of how our philosophy empowers its practitioner to lead a flourishing life, our organization promotes globally Ayn Rand’s monumental philosophy of Objectivism: Reality, Reason, Rational Egoism, Rights, and Romantic Realism.

STRATEGIC PLAN

1. Establish a permanent Web presence at which anyone can register at no cost as a member.
2. Establish a Board of Advisors of five members to brainstorm and direct the organization.
3. Create a New Mexico Limited Liability Company (LLC) for privacy and asset protection and title the Web site, software and all assets to the LLC.
4. Carefully select the owners, advisors, managers and other officers of the LLC and word the bylaws to prevent a repeat of the NBI disaster and to allow all concerned parties to win no matter what happens.
5. Apply for not-for-profit status for the LLC as an educational non-partisan entity to defend the income of the LLC from taxation and allow for tax-deductible donations.
6. Create downloadable literature for local clubs such as:
6.a. -- Universal club brochure
7. Create a series of replicable club programs for local clubs such as:
7.a. -- Shared Inquiry questions for readings from the Objectivist corpus
7.b. -- "Concepts in a Hat" game instructions and examples
7.c. -- Holiday outreach programs such as National Day of Reason and International Capitalism Day
7.d. -- Holiday inreach programs such as Thanksgiving: The Producer's Holiday
8. Establish a regularly repeated set of holidays on the Web site global calendar.
9. Establish a discussion board for sharing ideas about how best to conduct club events.
10. Create a long-range cash flow projection for five years as a reality check for how to grow affordably.
11. Gradually phase highly desirable perks into the Web presence for those who pay affordable annual dues.
12. Complete and publish The Vision-Driven™ Life: Becoming the Self You Might Be and Ought To Be and direct all profits from book sales to the LLC.

This concludes the outline of the overall blueprint for the global Objectivist club network. Please post comments and suggestions for improvement. If you have interest in taking a more active role in launching this project, please express that interest now.

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