Is your mission attainable?

'The best way to predict the future is to create it' - Peter Drucker

General

Every year, corporations all over the world revisit their mission statements. Some do it as an outbound exercise with a corporate trainer, some do it in house with the CEO leading the effort, some find other ingenuous ways to shine and sparkle it - with they aim of propelling their employees to take ownership, exhibit accountability and thus increase productivity for the company.

A mission statement is like a compass, guiding the organization toward its vision. However, most companies struggle to create mission statements that are both clear and measurable, which in turn means that these statements continue to remain on the walls and on powerpoint presentations, not into the culture and DNA of the organisation.

What a mission actually is

As an ex-Armed Forces Officer, I've learned first-hand the importance of having a mission with a clear end state, where everyone knows how their individual action will contribute to mission accomplishment.

Read that again!

This absolutely crucial element is often missing in corporate missions.

What an unclear mission statement does

When a mission is vague or unmeasurable, employees may not fully understand what is expected of them, leading to confusion and a lack of accountability. In contrast, a clear and measurable mission statement provides a clear direction for everyone in the organization and helps drive focused actions toward achieving the vision.

Crafting a mission statement is half the job. The next crucial part is assigning of deliverables to individuals - who now know that they (and ONLY they) are responsible, accountable and in charge of something specific that they have to do (and deliver).

Teams Vs Mobs

In any military team, each person knows that the element leader (platoon commander, company commander, Commanding Officer, or even a special ops team commander) expects the people under him (or her) to adhere to organizational high standards and work towards the success of the mission. And not only the structure in question, but the entire armed forces expects them to do what is right. They know that they would face severe and meaningful professional, personal and cultural consequences if they failed to perform as soldiers.

You may ask, isn't this true for all organisations? Don't all organizations know what the system expects of them, and what measure the system will impose if the goals of the organisation are not met? Too often, the answer is NO.

How many times have you worked in an organisation in which all members did not know what was expected of them, didn't understand what was going on, or didn't have a sense of personal accountability for the success or failure of the mission?

In direct contrast of a military method are those of mobs. In mobs, no one is responsible for anyone else. Individual accountability vanishes in a mob. Periodically someone would stir up the mob by a slogan or a thrown rock or breaking of a glass window.

Mobs aren't limited to the streets. They also exist in boardrooms, meetings, focus groups and on the internet. And if there is no structure (or a clear mission providing that structure) a mob mentality will develop that will eat away at an organization's resources, profits and success.

What to do

One key principle from my military experience is crafting a mission statement by working backward from the greater objective, in the case of corporate organizations, its vision. Following the mission and making it successful again and again will ultimately lead to the vision.

This approach ensures that the mission is aligned with the overall goals of the organization.

Additionally, the mission has to be extremely specific and measurable, allowing for a connect at various levels in obtaining a clear criteria for success.

To create a mission statement that is both clear and measurable, follow these steps:-

1. Start by defining the end state or objective that the mission aims to achieve.
2. Then, identify specific, measurable events that will indicate when the mission has been accomplished.
3. Finally, ensure that the mission statement is concise and easy to understand, avoiding jargon or overly complex language.

By following these principles, companies can create mission statements that inspire action, foster ownership, and drive accountability throughout the organization.

Conclusion

So if you find your organisation floundering, or when you say 'accountability' people start looking at each other, it means that the mission is unclear and what each persons role is, in the attainment of that mission, is unclear.

A clear and measurable mission statement not only guides daily activities but also serves as a rallying cry for employees, aligning everyone toward a common purpose and vision of success.

And as a leader, that's exactly what you want.