I remember when departmental mission statements were the rage. I ended up locked in a room for a day with co-workers hashing out our “mission.” Fond memories of that I do not have.
We wrestled with aligning our mission with the company mission statement which lacked inspiration. Such as “we’re in the business to make our customers happy, provide employees opportunity, and generate financial stability.” The mission statements communicated a wishy-washy reason to even be in business.
Today, with employees hard to hang on to and fierce competition for a buck, an ultimate mission for your business is essential. Know why you want to make that buck. Success, happy employees, and revenue follow.
A notable mission statement outlines value, is specific and motivates. Lengthy is not better. One sentence will suffice. Richard Branson suggested using the 140 character Twitter template to keep it brief.
Think about how your business helps your customers. Consider the substantial value your products or services bring and the uniqueness of your business. Ponder your business goals and brand.
Avoid pompous business slang. Everyone needs to comprehend your mission without a translation guide. Don’t look at bland, big business websites for examples.
Here are some admirable examples to speed you on your way. Zappos mission statement is “to provide the best customer service possible.” Virgin’s is” to embrace the human spirit and let it fly.” Life is Good says “to spread the power of optimism.”
Author: Kris Keppeler, a writer for Crossing Genres on Medium.com, and Does This Happen to You? on Channillo. Follow her @KrisKKAria on Twitter.
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