ORIGINAL: Jim Thomerson
We talk about mission and goals in regards to the AMA. I think there is a difference between the two. For example: the mission of the field artillery is to deliver timely and accurate fire in direct support of the infantry. The goal of field artillery is to shoot, move, and communicate. The mission is the desired end result, and the goal is the ability to carry out the mission. Does seeing mission vs goal in this light aid or hinder our thinking about the AMA?
To me a mission is more of a defining and continuing purpose, whereas a goal or goals are more like endpoints or that are achievable.
A team works toward a goal, accomplishes it, another goal, accomplishes it, etc., keeping the mission in mind at all times. Say the artilery unit's purpose/mission is timely and accurate fire, then some goals might be keeping all the ammo ready at certain strategic locations so that no one runs out (goal). Maybe another goal would be setting up a location that the fire would be more accurate (goal). Once achieved each of these can be considered milestones.
Keeping this targeted (pun intended) at the AMA, I think the mission has to be clearly defined and always maintained with various goals to accomplish along the way. I think this type of thinking can aide our thinking if all the aspects are well defined for us. If we know our mission but don't have set goals in place then it gets harder to keep the mission in sight.
So far this does not seem clear when dealing with the AMA at least from reading all the posts related to the AMA in these forums....more food for thought. I know there are some experts out there that can share on this.
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