One of the most important steps in building a strong remote culture is defining your mission, vision, and values. Clarity around these areas creates alignment, motivation, and a sense of belonging. It helps your team understand the “why” behind their work, make better decisions, and stay focused on what actually moves the company forward.
They are the filter for every hire, decision, and initiative. When you’re clear on what you stand for, the right people lean in and the wrong people self-select out. Without that clarity, you’ll end up with a team pulling in different directions, which burns energy instead of building momentum.
According to Gallup, only 27% of employees strongly believe in their company’s values. And teams without that alignment see lower engagement, weaker performance, and higher turnover. You can’t afford to skip this.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Mission is what your company does, who it serves, and why it exists. It’s your day-to-day purpose.
Vision is where you’re going long term, the future you’re working to create.
Values are the beliefs and behaviors that guide how your team works and makes decisions.
So how do you start?
- Reflect on what matters most to you and your company in each of these categories.
- Then, write some rough drafts, even if they feel imperfect.
- And if you want a little help shaping the language, you can use AI to generate ideas. Just don’t copy and paste. Use the results as raw material and craft something that truly resonates with you and your team.
Here are a few prompts you can plug into ChatGPT to get started:
Mission prompt: Give me at least 10 variations of a mission statement for my business. We [briefly explain what your business does], serve [your target audience], and our goal is to [the core problem you solve or outcome you create]. Keep each version clear and under two sentences.
Vision prompt: Write at least 10 different versions of a vision statement for my business. I want to describe the long-term future we’re building toward, something inspiring but realistic. We aim to create a world where [describe the ideal future or broader impact of your work]. Keep each version to one sentence.
Values prompt: Create at least 10 sets of core company values. Each set should include 3–5 values that reflect how we work, make decisions, and collaborate. Our company culture values [insert any qualities that are important to you, like speed, transparency, flexibility, empathy, human centric, or excellence]. For each value, include a short description that makes it actionable.
Values in particular should be written to drive behavior and decision making. When written correctly, they become operational tools. Let’s say one of your values is “default to ownership.” That gives team members clear direction of what to do when something goes wrong: Don’t wait to be told what to do, but step up, communicate, and take action.
When your team knows what the company stands for, and what’s expected, they don’t waste time trying to figure out what to do. They start making smarter decisions on their own. You don’t have to micromanage or step in constantly. Things just move.
