The Power of a Mission Statement

Mission statements are those inspiring words chosen by the leader to clearly communicate the direction of an organization.  This is a great method to communicate your intentions and motivate your team to a common vision.  With a mission statement you can define your organization’s purpose and objectives.  The key point to remember is that the primary function is internal not external.  Your mission statement needs to define the key measurements of your organization’s success.

Tips for defining your mission statement

Work first to identify your businesses “winning idea”

Everything that was ever created was designed twice.  First in someone’s mind and then it became tangible.  This is the idea that makes you stand out and becomes the reason customers come to you

Identify the key measures of your success.  Makes sure you choose the most important measures

Without Key Performance Indicators it will be hard to know if you’re winning.  Whatever your measuring you’re improving!  Make sure this is a small list.  Sometimes a key mistake is measuring too many things!

Combine your winning idea and success measures into a tangible and measurable goal

Goals simply give you the guide posts to know if you’re winning.  When working with organizations I like to use 90 day goals.  Long enough to accomplish something but short enough to feel the joy of completion.

Refine the words until you have a concise and precise statement of your mission that expresses your ideas and desired results

Words paint a picture and tell a story.  Using the right words can invoke the passion and commitment that your team will need to get the job done.

It takes a lot of effort to find, shape and test a mission statement but the benefits far outweigh the cost and energy it requires in communicating your winning idea.  What are some strategies you’ve used in developing your own mission statement?