Part 1 - Evaluating Your Mission Statement
Thursday, December 27th @ 7:13 PM
Has your organization’s mission statement been serving its purpose? Is it, or has it ever been relevant? Many companies that boast the mission statement as if it were the creed by which they live, eat and breathe, after further examination, may discover their anthem may be in need of an overhaul.
Mission statements, when effectively communicated, have shown to improve employee performance, serve as direction for management and promote a mindset with which all activities should be carried out. However, a poorly written or neglected mission statement can send a message of complacency and even a lack of direction. A mission statement that merely declares an organization’s commitment to its customers is simply stating the obvious. Satisfying the customers, after all, should be the goal of every organization.
To ensure a quality mission statement, a company should consider the following:
- Does your mission statement describe your product, services or market?
- Does your mission statement reflect the differentiation between your organization and your competitors?
- Does your mission statement answer the questions (Who are we, where are we, where are we going?)
If the answer to any of these questions is NO, perhaps it is time to take another look and make some revisions. Although mission statements should not change dramatically from year to year, they should be evaluated periodically for effectiveness. It is alright to make small adjustments over time to reflect the changing culture and direction of an organization. After all, the only true constant in business is change.
