Is a weak mission statement killing your organization?

Don't underestimate the importance of your organization's mission statement. It is a critical aspect of strategic planning. When strategic plans fail, a common reason is that the plan was created without the mission statement in mind, allowing strategy to go off-track. Here are three tips to maximizing the impact of your company's mission:

First, keep your mission statement short. If you can't easily recite your mission statement to everyone who crosses your path, then neither can your employees. Inasmuch as your strategic plan is entwined with your mission, if you get your staff to live the mission, then they will, in effect, help execute the strategy. But that occurs only if they know how their jobs align with the mission -- which means they need to know what the mission is.

Second, as part of each employees' annual performance review, have them complete this statement: "I will help fulfill the mission of the organization by doing the following things every day as part of my job:..." Have them commit to your mission in writing. And then include this commitment in their annual performance appraisal.

Third, role model the mission. Your executives are co-parents of your company's mission, which means they must demonstrate a commitment to living the mission every day. Show -- don't tell -- your employees how to be ambassadors for the organization's mission. Do that, and then watch accountability and execution take off.

Need more help? Download our step-by-step guide (available to the right) to creating a mission statement that inspires.

Execute well,

Scott Regan
Founder & Chief Execution Officer
AchieveIt