How Does a Mission Statement Help You?
The principal purpose of a mission statement could be considered a “fail” by most companies. A "good" mission statement has come to bear the appearance of creative verbiage regurgitated by a lead marketer imbued with the sophistry needed to woo readers into believing they are roused to some higher order than making money. More appropriately said; it is the means of hiding the fact it is the company's primary urge to make money and it will do anything it can get away with to gain as much of it as is humanly or technologically possible. Of course such an ideal would never be permitted in the written word because it would not be socially acceptable and we all know the social networks rule in today's society.
The mission statement was never intended to blandish a resolve to achieve a greater good while hiding the true intentions of the corporation, but had a higher or more lofty goal altogether. The mission statement was intended to do what everyone thinks it should do... instill within the management and employees of a company a resolve to achieve a greater good.
It is no secret companies are formulated to make money. They will not survive without this paramount facet of their business. The mission statement, however, is there to remind the staff that on the road to financial success, our mission is to take others along with us. If our success comes at the failure of our customers to achieve their purpose in using our products/services or our competitors failure to remain in business to help bolster our industry, then we were only successful in making money, but the greater purpose of the company has failed.
If the only place your mission statement can be found is on an obscure website for reporters, in your business plan for investors, or on a sign over the bathroom door, then it is nothing more than a cheap ad or fabrication of an illusionary ideal meant only as filler or fodder for something now considered required.
A real mission statement is a family statement. It is something you expect your family to live up to, that brings you honor, dignity and as sense of patriotism for something you stand for. It changes the mindset of workers from doing a job to fulfilling a mission. It gives meaning to a mundane life seemingly set merely to fulfill commitments to creditors. It lets managers and employees know they are part of a machine set to accomplish heroic feats in an effort to bless the lives of many. In essence, it is a means of getting your team to believe in something greater than a paycheck and a reason to work harder, more consistent and with greater tenacity to achieve more because they believe they are helping to make the world a better place. Your mission statement is for your team, not for your banker, investor or reporters.
Yes, they use it for their own ulterior motives but the purpose of your mission statement is to motivate your team to achieve greatness and nothing less.
About the Author
Scott L. Taylor is the author of The Opportunity In Every Problem” Mentor for unemployed and ex-offenders who are trying to get back into business society, and Director of Sales & Marketing for Cloudia Assistant. He is passionate about leadership, ethics, entrepreneurship, sports, positive reinforcement, motivational thinking, and loves helping individuals and organizations realize their potential and take the steps necessary to achieve it.
For more information, check out his LinkedIn profile, follow him or view the Cloudia Assistant website, www.cloudiaassistant.com.