Quick reference
Memory aid
V2MOM: What do I want? What matters? How will I do it? What's in the way? How will I know?
TL;DR
Document Vision, Values (ranked), Methods (prioritized), Obstacles (honest), and Measures (specific) on one page. Cascade from CEO to all levels. Make visible. Review quarterly.
What Is V2MOM?
V2MOM is a one-page document answering five questions: What do you want? (Vision), What's important about it? (Values), How will you get it? (Methods), What's in the way? (Obstacles), How will you know you have it? (Measures). Everyone in the company creates one, cascading from the CEO.
V2MOM creates alignment through transparency. The CEO creates the company V2MOM first. Then every executive creates theirs, aligning to the CEO's. This cascades to every level. All V2MOMs are visible to the entire company. The simple five-element structure ensures that strategy is communicated in a way everyone can understand and contribute to. Unlike complex strategic plans, V2MOM fits on one page and is updated regularly.
V2MOM Framework
Five elements that answer the key strategic questions: why, what, how, what's in the way, and how to measure success.
Vision
Where are we going?
Values
What matters most?
Methods
How will we get there?
Obstacles
What's in our way?
Measures
How will we know?
Origin & context
Benioff and his cofounders wrote V2MOMs in Salesforce's first weeks of operation in 1999, using the format to align the company from its earliest days. Salesforce has used V2MOM continuously as it grew to more than $34 billion in annual revenue in fiscal 2024.
Core Components
Vision
What do you want to achieve? A clear, compelling picture of the desired outcome.
Example
Vision: 'Be the #1 CRM platform for enterprises, trusted by every Fortune 500 company.'
Values
What principles guide how you achieve the vision? Ranked by priority.
Example
Values: 1. Trust 2. Customer Success 3. Innovation 4. Equality.
Methods
What specific actions will you take? Prioritized list of initiatives.
Example
Methods: 1. Launch Einstein AI features 2. Expand enterprise sales team 3. Build partner ecosystem.
Obstacles
What challenges stand in the way? Honest assessment of barriers.
Example
Obstacles: 1. Competition from Microsoft Dynamics 2. Enterprise sales cycle length 3. Integration complexity.
Measures
How will you know you've succeeded? Specific metrics.
Example
Measures: 1. $5B enterprise revenue 2. 70% Fortune 500 penetration 3. NPS > 60.
Marc Benioff wrote Salesforce's original V2MOM in the company's first weeks in 1999, on the back of a large American Express envelope. Cofounder Parker Harris later framed it and gave it to Benioff on the day of Salesforce's 2004 IPO.
When to Use V2MOM
Company-wide strategic alignment
Problem it solves: Ensures every employee understands and contributes to the company strategy.
Real-world application
Every Salesforce employee drafts a V2MOM each year, cascading from the CEO's company V2MOM. Every V2MOM is visible to everyone.
Startup strategy articulation
Problem it solves: Provides a simple, one-page format for articulating strategy to investors, employees, and partners.
Real-world application
A seed-stage startup uses V2MOM in their investor deck to clearly communicate vision, priorities, and success metrics in a format that's concise and compelling.
The power of V2MOM is in the ranking. Values are ranked in priority order. Methods are prioritized. This means that when there's a conflict, everyone knows which value or method takes precedence — eliminating ambiguity.
How to Apply V2MOM: Step by Step
Before you start
- →Strategic direction from leadership
- →Willingness to be transparent about priorities and obstacles
- →Cascading process from top down
CEO Creates Company V2MOM
The CEO writes the company-level V2MOM first.
Tips
- ✓Keep it to one page — brevity forces clarity
Common mistakes
- ✗Writing too much — V2MOM's power is in its simplicity
Cascade Down
Each level creates V2MOMs aligned to the level above.
Tips
- ✓Your Methods should contribute to your leader's V2MOM
Common mistakes
- ✗Creating V2MOMs in isolation without checking alignment upward
Make All V2MOMs Visible
Publish all V2MOMs so anyone can see anyone else's priorities.
Tips
- ✓Transparency creates alignment and accountability
Common mistakes
- ✗Keeping V2MOMs private — this defeats the alignment purpose
Review and Update
Review V2MOMs quarterly and update as priorities evolve.
Tips
- ✓It's a living document, not an annual exercise
Common mistakes
- ✗Creating V2MOMs once and never revisiting them
Value & Outcomes
Primary benefit
Creates simple, transparent alignment from CEO to individual contributor in a one-page format.
Additional benefits
- ✓Forces prioritization through ranking
- ✓Makes obstacles explicit rather than hidden
What you'll learn
- →How to articulate strategy simply and transparently
- →How to create organizational alignment through cascading priorities
Typical outcomes
Best Practices
📋 Preparation
- •Start at the top — the CEO V2MOM anchors everything
- •Keep it to one page
🚀 Execution
- •Rank values and prioritize methods — this is where clarity comes from
- •Be honest about obstacles
🔄 Follow-Up
- •Review quarterly
- •Make all V2MOMs visible to the entire company
💎 Pro Tips
- •V2MOM works best when it includes the Obstacles section honestly. Most strategic plans hide the challenges — V2MOM makes them explicit.
Salesforce's V2MOM has guided the company from a startup to more than $34 billion in annual revenue in fiscal 2024. Each year every department and every employee drafts a V2MOM aligned to their manager's, which cascades from the CEO's company V2MOM. The radical transparency — every V2MOM is published on the company's internal social network — creates alignment without micromanagement.
Limitations & Pitfalls
Simple format may not capture complex strategic nuances
Mitigation: Use V2MOM for alignment and communication; supplement with detailed plans where needed
Can become a compliance exercise if not genuinely used for decision-making
Mitigation: Reference V2MOMs in meetings and decisions to keep them alive
Where this comes fromMarc Benioff / Salesforce introduced this (1999).
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