Your Mission Statement

I want to finish this section by spending just a little time on the subject of your mission statement, its purpose and construction. Of course, this is largely based on my views and experience. At the very least, this will get you thinking about your mission statement.

Your Mission statement defines why you are in business; it is worth remembering this simple fact. It should contain information about the business’s key objectives, who it serves or benefits and why it does what it does. My personal preference is a statement of a few lines. Regardless of size, the mission statement is felt within every aspect of the organizational culture, or that certainly should be the case. This is so much more than a catchy tagline and should always set the tone for the entire business.

When figuring out the mission statement for your business, consider how you want to use the statement within your company. Do you want it to be a source of engagement for your employees and a motivator for yourself to meet your goals? Craft your statement with tangible and actionable language that inspires you, your team and your customers.

Mission statements are used to motivaste, engage and inspire people, as well as help the business to communicate and reach aspirational goals.

 

The main purpose of your mission statement is to increase engagement and encourage those around you to work effectively together to help the company achieve its goals. The mission statement is derived from the company’s vision and values. I want you to look critically at yourself and your business and what you and it represent. This can then help you in the development of a mission statement that truly reflects the company culture.

To use the mission statement to motivate others, it’s important for the company leadership to exemplify the mission in their day-to-day work and how they address their team. Suppose the company mission is to help others be their best selves, for example, but the company leadership does not foster a culture of improvement. In that case, that mission will not effectively inspire the team.

The purpose of strategic planning is to develop a plan that enables the organization to achieve its goals. An organisation’s mission statement is often tied directly to the objectives the organization wants to achieve. The mission statement includes goals that are attainable now and aspirational goals for the future.

The mission statement definition includes looking past the day-to-day grind to the long-term goals of the company. Suppose your mission statement is to help women feel fantastic about themselves and the environment with your sustainable beauty products, for example. In that case, applying that mission to your company’s future goals is important. If your business currently operates only in the UK, you can look to expand your market globally to reach women all over the world. Mission statements can help organisations to reach aspirational goals.

In addition, mission statements can resonate with customers, partners and other stakeholders. For some, the mission statement is linked to how the business is run. Some businesses may have a mission that involves taking care of the environment, so they only use sustainable materials. A business may want to empower women in third-world countries and so employs those women within their global offices.

If a company’s mission and how it operates and services its customers appeal to a particular audience segment, they will be more likely to engage with the organisation. It’s important to make your company’s mission statement public so external stakeholders can consider what your organisation stands for.

Your mission statement reflects every aspect of your business, from how you treat your employees to how you create your products or deliver your services. When defining the mission for your business, answer questions like these to figure out what is important to you:

• Why do you do what you do?
• What does success look like for the company?
• What problems does your organisation solve?
• Who do you serve?
• How does your company make the world a better place for your audience?
• How are you different from your competitors?

Mission statements play an important role in organisations for all stakeholders. It’s important to establish a mission statement that’s clear and direct, incorporating the values of the company and what it hopes to achieve.