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Do you have to? No. You can do whatever you want. But when considering how many different directions your MDT might go in, you might gain clarity by doing so. That focus will serve you well as you figure out where to focus your efforts.
Groups develop these statements so that they can:
- stay clear on their purpose,
- define how they want to interact with each other and the community,
- explain the MDT to new members,
- communicate the MDTs purpose to others.
The Vision statement conveys the long-term, big-picture goal the MDT is working towards. Other people or groups can share in and work towards that Vision, even if doing entirely separate work from the MDT. The Vision describes the future the MDT strives to create.
The Mission statement describes what exactly this MDT does towards making the Vision a reality. It helps to focus the MDTs attention and set priorities when faced with a broad range of options for action. It also explains to others what actions this MDT plans to take.
Value statements describe the behaviors used to do the work and serve to guide daily interactions among MDT members and across organizational boundaries. These values describe how the MDT does its work. Team members can and should hold each other accountable for living up to these expectations, even when faced with a challenging situation.
Remember that your vision, mission, and value statements can evolve over time. It is a good idea to periodically assess how well – or whether - they are working for you.