Mission Statement
A mission explains the central purpose of the organization. A mission states the primary reason for its existence.
When a mission is formalized in writing and communicated to all organizational members, it becomes the mission statement of the organization.
The mission statement includes references to its core values and principles. It serves as an operational and ethical guide to its employees. A mission statement is also the foundation and coordinating device for the execution of management functions, the behaviour of its members, and the organization’s culture.
The mission serves as a template against which decisions can be measured. The organization’s values should be apparent after reading the mission statement.
Two questions must be answered while creating a mission statement:
- What is our business?
- What should it be?
These questions should be answered periodically. The answer to the 1st question is determined by the customers the organization serves. Meeting the customer’s demands has led the company to where it is now.
The answer to the 2nd question is determined by the customers the organization wants to serve. The specific needs of identified customers, along with the firm’s experience and expertise will dictate the products/services it creates and sells, the processes it uses, and the level of quality.
Values, beliefs and desires of customers keep changing. This implies that the organizations values, beliefs and customers must also change.
Once the 2 questions are answered, the existing mission statement must be confirmed as valid or modified. The challenge management faces is to transform its concepts and principles into something that anchors everything a customer does.
The leadership challenge for top management is to create a mission statement that captures the commitment of its members.
Six rules for writing and implementing mission statements
- Keep the statement simple; not necessarily short but simple;
- Allow companywide input;
- Involve outsiders. They can bring clarity and a fresh perspective to the statement-writing process;
- Develop the wording and the tone to reflect the company’s personality or what the company would like to be;
- Share the mission statement in as many creative ways as possible and in as many languages as necessary. Keep it in front of people constantly.
- Rely on the mission statement for guidance. Challenge it continually, and judge employees by how well they adhere to its tenets. Management must say it and live it.
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