by Dr. Gerry G. Meisels
Let’s begin by making a clear distinction between organizational mission and vision statements. • A mission statement – concentrates on the core functions of an organization; it tells you what the organization is doing now, what it exists to do, what its major current activities are, and how those functions are to be performed. • A vision statement – outlines what an organization wants to become either deliberately or in response to changing external conditions, that is, changes in the operational environment. It concentrates on the future; it serves to inspire performance and provides criteria by which decisions governing the future of an organization should be made. Simplistically, mission statements describe what is being done now, and vision statements define the future and are the driving force for change. AKC has a mission statement: “The American Kennel Club is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its Registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function. Founded in 1884, the AKC and its affiliated organizations advocate for the purebred dog as a family companion, advance canine health and well-being, work to protect the rights of all dog owners and promote responsible dog ownership.” It is a mission statement because it describes AKC’s basic functions, but it also has a visionary ring because it has or implies futures-oriented components such as “breeding for type and function.” AKC also requires kennel clubs to define their “objects”. The general form is usually some minor variation of the text prescribed by AKC in its sample constitution and bylaws, and goes about as follows for all-breed clubs, our primary concern at this point: • “The objects of this all-breed club shall be: a) to further the advancement of all breeds of purebred dogs; b) to do all in its power to protect and advance the interests of dog shows and to encourage sportsmanlike competition at such events; and c) to conduct sanctioned matches and dog shows.” Part (a) is pretty ambiguous with a great deal of room for individual interpretation. What does advancement of all breeds of purebred dogs mean? Does it mean increasing the number of purebred dogs in the US? Or does it mean improving the quality of each breed? Or does it mean helping combat health problems? Parts (b) and (c) are rather mundane and unsophisticated descriptions of activities, and when they go beyond that they either don’t make sense or are badly constructed English. What are the interests of dog shows, anyway? While AKC’s mission statement and the jingle “we are not just champion dogs, we are the dogs’ champion” may barely pass as a vision statement, there is nothing of the sort in most All-Breed Club constitution and bylaws. The de facto driving forces become revenue and prestige. Both are superficial and not really visionary, and self-serving. It is really time for each all-breed club to define its vision by asking whom it serves, whom it wants to serve, and what it must do to implement that vision. Whom may all-breed clubs serve? Certainly, at least in principle, they should serve, foremost, serious breeders who want to evaluate their stock in the hope of improving it through careful breeding programs. Clubs should also serve their communities by providing them access to knowledge about breeds and dogs. They should also serve their communities by raising funds for worthy, charitable projects through net earnings from shows. But in reality, dog shows are not really run with these priorities foremost in show committee’s minds. Many other factors typically dominate discussions. Putting on a show is a great deal of work, and the practicalities of show management naturally dominate, especially as the environment has changed. As working memberships have declined and/or aged, the workplace has become more intense, more and more had to be hired out, such as stewarding and cleanup. Then, of course, there is the ever-escalating cost and difficulty of venues and judges’ travel, while at the same time show committees try to maintain entry fees as low as possible. It is no wonder that there has been little time devoted to thinking what some of the outcomes of these adjustments are doing to the sport and to the mission and vision for their clubs. The challenge for clubs is to step back and take a careful look at what they want to achieve in the long run, and an excellent way to do that is for club leadership to initiate development of a vision statement. Such a vision statement can drive decisions and counterbalance the influence of day-to-day issues whose outcomes are now typically driven by cost and convenience. Once a club knows what it wants to achieve, what its vision for its future is, it must develop a plan to achieve it. It is essential to develop a concrete plan to implement the vision, because without the vision there can be no plan, and without a plan a vision is just rhetoric. There are many questions clubs can ask to develop their vision. These may include the effect of the distance of the show site from the home community, and the consequences of moving shows from weekends to weekdays? Can we think through broader, long-term results or priorities for hiring judges? Can we ask and ascertain whom they will draw rather than how many? Can we give priority to hiring judges who are expert in the breeds they are assigned or should we hire those licensed for at least two groups in order to reduce cost and makes it easier to assign them?? Can we weigh the effects of differences in our show’s attractiveness to breeder exhibitors vs. professional handlers? Can we take charge of what we want to achieve under changing circumstances rather than be buffeted by ever-changing conditions? The answers to these questions may differ from club to club, and will determine the characteristics of the club and its shows. We will pursue some of these questions and issues in future articles. ABOUT THE AUTHOR - He and his family have owned, bred and shown (primarily in conformation) West Highland White Terriers since 1959, have finished over 50 home-bred Westies and a number of dogs in other breeds, notably Norwich Terriers and Lhasa Apso. He is a judge licensed for all Terriers, Delegate to the AKC for the St. Petersburg Dog Fanciers Association, President of the Lakeland-Winter Haven KC, and chair of the West Highland White Terrier Club of America’s Judges’ Education Committee. The Meisels’ live in the Tampa, Florida area.
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