Hi.

In this exercise, we'll be using music as a tool to help us clarify mission, vision, and values.

I'm going to specifically lead you through a process that can help open up initial discussions and brainstorming for a team or an organization to align on these important pieces of what makes your group unique and strong.

So maybe you've been working with your team to update these statements and you're feeling stuck, or maybe you even want to try to adjust this exercise to reflect on your personal mission, vision, and values.

I invite you to get something to write with.

Maybe it's a journal or a scrap paper.

You can pause this recording to do that now and then set your writing tool to the side.

Take a moment to settle.

You can close your eyes or just let your gaze melt and soften.

Let's start by visualizing and noticing whatever might come up for you as I offer these prompts.

I invite you to call to mind the moment you first got connected to this organization.

Did you stumble across a job posting?

Maybe you were invited into your current role by a mentor or a colleague.

Maybe you were encouraged to apply by somebody.

Whatever it was, bring yourself back to that moment.

Really put yourself there.

What elements of the physical scene do you recall?

Were you in a room of your house, in your apartment, the library?

What was the weather like?

Did you talk to anyone about this opportunity?

If so, who was it?

As you sit in this memory, pay attention to the feelings that may be coming up.

Was there excitement, pride, anxiety, imposter syndrome?

Just notice them.

Start to think about why you chose to pursue this opportunity.

What drew you to this work?

What drew you to this organization specifically?

When you're ready, I invite you to write one word that's sitting with you right now.

Release the expectation for it to be the right answer.

Whatever you're present to in this moment is there for a reason.

So write that word down.

Take another breath.

Now I invite you to picture yourself in the future.

What have you accomplished as part of this organization, say, three, five, ten years down the road?

How has your organization impacted your community, impacted products, impacted the world?

What does that future scene look like?

And again, really put yourself there.

Who's there with you?

How are people feeling?

How are people acting?

How are you feeling?

And when you're ready, allow yourself to settle on another word.

This time capturing something about the future.

Releasing any expectation for it to be the right answer or the perfect word.

Maybe it's a color or a feeling.

Maybe it's the goal or accomplishment itself.

Once you've written it down, look at these two words together.

The word from the past and the word from the future.

Look at them without judgment, but with curiosity.

Consider how your word from the past may point you in the direction of your values.

Your personal values, but also organizational values.

And consider how your word from the future may point you in the direction of your vision.

Where you want to go in your role and as a whole.

And finally, I invite you to think about how these words might relate.

What is it that you or your organization is doing at present as a through line that connects the past to the future?

What is the mission that is driving the values towards your vision?

Now, of course, this isn't a fully fledged out mission, vision, value statement, but this exercise is just one example of how music can be used to access memory channels in our brain.

To transport us to meaningful moments and ultimately help us make sense of things that may initially appear abstract.

So take this example exercise as a conversation starter or brainstorming practice and connect with us at Sonic Connections if you'd like a deeper dive into creatively clarifying mission, vision, and values.

Thanks.