Finding the Mission in Your Mission Statement

Written by Betsy Shulman on May 8, 2010 3:08 pm

Mission statements only pertain to big corporations, right? Wrong! A well-written mission statement provides inspiration and direction, and that’s something every company needs. Unfortunately, most mission statements are anything but inspiring or meaningful and often lose sight of the fact that a goal should have significance for the individual or people who pursue it. Ideally, the act of articulating the mission should help it to spring to life, yet more often than not, inspiration dies during the writing process.

James Collins and Jerry Porras in their 1994 book Built to Last, use the term “BHAG,” or “big hairy audacious goal” to underscore why it’s best to create a compelling mission statement that “serves as a unifying focal point of effort, often creating immense team spirit.” They cite the example of Microsoft’s famous credo: A computer on every desk and in every home, all running Microsoft software.

The idea of pursuing a goal with “meaning” is the essence of what a mission statement should aspire to communicate. Employees prefer concrete goals that are stated simply and clearly. There should be a compelling outcome and a definite finish line so the organization can tell when the mission is accomplished.

Dan Heath(@heathbrothers), author of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die and a feature writer for Fast Company Magazine (@fastcompany), has little sympathy for the pointless jargon produced by one-too-many boardroom meetings. The way he sees it, less is more, and making it “stick” (or have meaning) requires focusing on two practical ideas that he explains in his video Mission statements need not suck.

Use concrete language that people can “get behind,” not PC descriptions that have no meaning.
Talk about the “Why.” What’s the mission and what makes you care about it? People want to know why your mission statement matters.

In her article, How to Write a Mission Statement that Isn’t Dumb, Nancy Lublin(@nancylublin) concludes with this challenge:

“Write a mission statement with a goal that's an action, not a sentiment; that is quantifiable, not nebulous. If you're trying to sell a product, how and how many? If you're trying to change lives, how and whose? Take your wonky mission statement and rip it to shreds. Then ponder your ambitions, and write and rewrite the thing until it reflects -- in real, printable words and figures -- the difference that you want to make.

How will you make a difference with your business? If you can answer that question, you might just find the mission in your mission statement.