Mission Statements are All the Same
When you start at the top, whether the top of a company, division, department — or You, Inc. — there is common wisdom that Mission Statements should be developed and guide the path of the corporation.
As far as they go, Mission Statements perform this function. Before you think they are all whiz-bang thinking stuff that need to be developed at a cool off-site thinking place, break down the elements of the Mission Statement of your company, division, or department and you will see that all Mission Statements are really the same.
Take a look at your favorite Mission Statement, perhaps the one for your company (do you know where it is? Do you know what it says?). See if you can’t see these elements in your Mission Statement:
- Shareholder value. We’re a company that’s in business for shareholders, so there has to be something about shareholder value in there.
- Customer satisfaction. In order to get a great return on investment for our shareholders, one needs to provide products and services to customers. So there has to be something about customers served in the Mission Statement.
- Corporate Values. All companies believe they need to treat customers (and perhaps employees) with a framework of specific values. For example, customers should “trust” what we do. Or, our service will be “friendly.’ These values help define a culture for the corporation.
- What we do. This is something about the products and/or services that a company provides to customers and shareholders.
We’ll work through some of this mission stuff in the future. In the meantime, all Mission Statements are all the same.
