How Mission, Vision, & Values Impact Your Bottom Line

For many advisors, concepts such as refining their mission, vision, and values (MVV) tend to be viewed as secondary concerns—things that are somewhat useful for the firm but have no impact on revenue and profitability.

Yet, high-performing teams do so much more internal work not only to talk about their MVV but to integrate those principles into the daily operations and strategic decision-making of the business – ultimately using them to help drive better business results. The ways your firm’s MVV can positively impact your business are myriad, but let’s take a look at seven of the most compelling:

1. Clear Direction and Alignment—Regularly reviewing your MVV will help ensure that everyone on your team is aligned toward common goals. Research consistently demonstrates that alignment between organizational goals and individual efforts dramatically improves performance. It helps ensure that each member understands not only the ‘what’ of their work but also the ‘why’ by eliminating confusion, misaligned priorities, and wasted resources.
   
   High-performing firms understand that clarity is a competitive advantage. When teams know the direction and their role in achieving that vision, they make better decisions and focus more effectively on activities that drive growth. How much better?
   
   A Harvard Business Review article titled “Companies That Truly Value Their Values Outperform the Rest” found that companies that consistently communicate and act on their MVV outperformed their competitors by more than 30% regarding employee engagement, retention, and overall growth.
2. Improved Decision-Making—High–performing teams use MVV as a filter for decision-making (critical during volatile times) to more closely align decisions with long-term goals and values rather than relying on reactive, short-term thinking.
   
   Teams that regularly revisit their core principles tend to be better equipped to make consistent, value-driven decisions. When leaders and team members are all clear on the firm’s mission and values, they can more confidently prioritize actions that lead to better business outcomes.
   
   A recent Cornell University study found that 85% of team members in high-performing groups reported that their shared mission and values drove better collaboration and decision-making. These organizations don’t just have MVV written on the walls – they actively engage with the underlying principles to drive alignment and better team decisions.
3. Increased Employee Engagement and Retention—Another critical reason to revisit your MVV regularly is its direct impact on employee engagement. Gallup’s ongoing research reveals that teams with a strong sense of purpose and alignment with their organization’s values are consistently more engaged, motivated, and productive.
   
   This directly translates into more firm loyalty, reduced turnover, and greater retention of institutional knowledge. For advisory teams, where relationships and trust are crucial to client retention, having a stable, motivated, and knowledgeable team directly contributes to sustainable success.
   
   In its 2017 report on mission-driven workplaces, Gallup found that employees whose company mission makes them feel their job is important are 68% more likely to be engaged at work and that highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability and 59% lower turnover than less engaged teams.
   
4. Adaptability and Resilience—Firms that regularly review their MVV are also better able to adapt to change, as they constantly reflect on whether their strategy aligns with both internal goals and external market conditions. This flexibility fosters a great deal more resilience during crises or unexpected disruptions.
   
   The Stockdale Paradox we discussed reinforces the idea that high-performing teams can balance realism about current challenges with optimism about the future. They confront the harsh realities of the marketplace while staying anchored to a long-term, inspiring vision. This helps build resilience and ensures that short-term challenges don’t derail a firm’s long-term strategy.
   
   In fact, a study conducted by Deloitte, "Purpose-driven companies evolve faster than others," found that organizations with a clear purpose—often linked to a strong mission and vision—are significantly more likely to outperform their peers.
5. Client Experience Consistency – when you regularly revisit your MVV, you reinforce the core principles that drive how every team member interacts with clients. And the more consistent, values-based client experience you deliver, the stronger the relationships you create.
   
   Simply put, clients inevitably gravitate towards and show loyalty to firms whose actions are consistent with their stated values and deliver a client experience rooted in purpose and values. This is a recipe for higher client retention rates, more referrals, and increased AUM.
   
   Research into customer loyalty conducted by Bain & Company reinforces the importance of mission, vision, and values – finding 80% of clients believe that brands with a strong sense of purpose and values offer better experiences. Given the crucial role of trust and long-term relationships in advisory businesses, the essential connection between your firm's values and its capacity to retain clients successfully cannot be overstated.
6. Building a Culture of Accountability—Regularly reviewing MVV fosters a culture of accountability. When team members know that their actions are being measured against the firm’s values and mission, they’re more likely to act in alignment with those principles.
   
   But it’s more than just checking a box. These teams are establishing a shared language and a system for holding themselves accountable to the firm’s vision and values, reinforcing high standards that ultimately lead to better business outcomes.
   
   According to Forbes, organizations with strong accountability cultures experience markedly improved performance, faster execution of strategy, and consistently higher revenue growth.
7. Innovation and Strategic Focus – consistently reviewing and aligning with your MVV also fuels innovation by keeping the focus on your firm’s long-term goals and values. It allows your team to be more strategic in their approach to growth and innovation. Rather than chasing short-term gains or unrelated opportunities, they can focus on innovations that enhance the firm’s core offerings and differentiate your business in a competitive and crowded market.
   
   A recent study by PwC shows that purpose-driven companies are much more likely to engage in strategic innovation that drives growth. Firms grounded in a clear mission and vision are better at identifying opportunities that align with their core principles, leading to sustained competitive advantage.

The Evidence is Clear

While no single dataset proves a direct correlation between mission, vision, and values and high-performing teams, there are enough studies and collective research across industries to show anecdotal solid evidence of a link. Teams that regularly revisit and reinforce their MVV show:

• Better alignment and decision-making
• Higher employee engagement and retention
• Greater adaptability and resilience
• Stronger client relationships
• An overall culture of accountability and innovation

By keeping these core elements front and center, your team can help ensure they finish the year strong and set themselves up for long-term success. Regularly reflecting on MVV isn’t just an exercise in theory—it’s a proven strategy for driving better results, building stronger teams, and creating a sustainable competitive advantage.

Coaching Questions for Your and Your Leadership Team to Consider Discussing:

1. How can you further integrate your firm's mission, vision, and values into daily operations to enhance team alignment and decision-making over the next year?
2. How can you leverage your firm’s mission and values to foster innovation and strategic growth that will set you apart in a competitive market?
3. How can you ensure that your firm's mission, vision, and values become even more central to creating a consistent client experience that drives retention and referrals in the future?

Bonus: Excellent Additional Reading Recommendations

Here are five highly recommended books for leaders looking to understand and effectively implement mission, vision, and values within their organizations:

1. Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

This book focuses on the importance of a clear purpose (the "Why") behind every organization's mission and vision. Sinek explores how starting with "Why" can inspire teams and build robust cultures aligned with values.

2. The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business by Patrick Lencioni

Lencioni outlines the critical aspects of building a healthy organization, including clarity around mission, vision, and values. The book emphasizes aligning these principles to create cohesive teams and sustainable growth.

3. Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras

This classic book examines how companies with a strong foundation in mission, vision, and values achieve long-term success. The authors analyze visionary companies to uncover what makes their organizational principles stand the test of time.

4. Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business" by Gino Wickman

"Traction" provides a practical framework for leaders to implement vital mission, vision, and values into their businesses through the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). The book is complete of actionable strategies for creating alignment and accountability.

5. Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brené Brown

Brown's book explores the role of courage and vulnerability in leadership. It ties the importance of clear values to effective leadership, emphasizing how mission and vision can help leaders inspire and connect with their teams on a deeper level.

These books offer practical insights and strategies to help leaders effectively install and sustain their organizations' mission, vision, and values.

About ClientWise LLC

ClientWise is the premier business and executive coaching firm working exclusively with financial professionals. We specialize in helping clients optimize growth and maximize revenue by engaging as a knowledgeable partner in accomplishing specific and significant business results. Our full-service coaching program empowers financial advisors, wholesalers, managers and executives to enhance performance through customized, action-oriented solutions based on each client’s specific vision and situation.

Our certified coaches are members of the International Coach Federation (ICF). They adhere to ICF’s strict code of ethics and have the experience and insight to work with you on the unique challenges and opportunities you face each day.

Drawing from an in-depth knowledge of the financial industry, ClientWise’s mission is to professionally develop industry leaders and consistently raise the bar for industry service, commitment and integrity. Simply put, our singular focus is to help you get clear, get focused, and get results.