Developing Your Mission

"The best Leader is one who knows how to pick good people to do what he or she wants done and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it." - Heidi Richards -

Mission statements describe the purpose of an organization or a sub-group of it. It is a general description of what it is that the team is there to do. It grows out of the Vision. It describes the organization's purpose. It tends to be general with objectives often accompanying it. The mission provides the "framework" for goals and objectives. It also provides guidance for the major decisions officers and board members need to make. Identifying or updating the mission is usually done during strategic planning.

Developing a mission statement can be approached using varying methods:

Participants may use highly analytical and rational exercises such as focused discussions or highly creative and divergent approaches through daydreaming, sharing stories, etc.

In the wording process consider the products, services, values, market and concern for the public image of the organization.

The mission should be brief enough (one or two sentences) that everyone in the organization can learn it and recite verbatim.

Adding or removing a word, which may also further define the scope of products and services of the organization, can accomplish refining the mission.

The mission should include sufficient description so that it clearly separates the mission of the organization from other organizations.

It is a good idea to revisit the mission from time to time to make sure it is relevant to the organization's current situation.

To stimulate thinking the group should consider the functions of the organization, who the organization serves (the customer) and how the organization will fulfill the functions (the activities, methods and technologies).

© 2005 - Heidi Richards

Heidi Richards is the author of The PMS Principles, Powerful Marketing Strategies to Grow Your Business and 7 other books. She is the owner of Eden Florist & Gift Baskets ? http://www.edenflorist.com and the Founder & CEO of the Women's ECommerce Association, International http://www.WECAI.org (pronounced wee-kī) ? an Internet organization that "Helps Women Do Business on the WEB." Basic Membership is FREE. Ms. Richards can be reached at http://www.HeidiRichards.com or Heidi@wecai.org.

---

Juggling Demands in an Organization

JUGGLING DEMANDS: All leaders constantly juggle a multifarious array of... Read More

Project Management - I Want It ALL

The knee-jerk response to prioritizing requirements is to mark everything... Read More

The Thick Line Between Buddy and Boss

Q: One of my key employees is giving me trouble.... Read More

What to Ask When You?re Invited to a Meeting

1) Where is the agenda? A meeting without an agenda... Read More

Business & Family Safety and Health Rating

For good reason, practically every endeavor in life is rated.... Read More

Driving of work trucks

Each time you or one of your work crews cruises... Read More

Listening Strategically

Usually, we're most interested in communicating outwardly; getting our messages... Read More

Biometrics and ?Return On Investment?

At this time of tight budgets, the mantra of business... Read More

Using an Appraisal to Benefit Your Organization

PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS BENEFIT THE ORGANIZATION:Appraisals help spot employees with potential... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Enhance the Motivational Climate of the Workplace

It has been well documented that employees' productivity and job... Read More

Innovation Management ? idea selection, development and commercialisation, what are the differences?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Are You Measuring Something Meaningful?

Avoiding inert measures that anaesthetise your performance management.INTRODUCTIONYou sit before... Read More

The Role of the Machine Metaphor in Mixed-initiative Organizational Leadership

"Can This Marriage be Saved?" So reads the title of... Read More

Small Business Checking Accounts

ACCOUNTING AND BILLINGCHECK BOOKSWe recommend that you maintain a business... Read More

Performance Evaluations Can Be Beneficial

THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW MEETING: It's a fact - most supervisors... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Overcome Boredom

Do you find yourself easily becoming bored or tired at... Read More

Managing After Downsizing

So, you survived the downsizing. Your company did something that... Read More

Why Saying Well Done Works

Encouraged by the recognition, Sarah Lewsiton went home from work... Read More

IT Expenditure - Why Businesses Spend Huge Amounts on Ineffective IT Investments

Another IT White Elephant!It seems that almost every day we... Read More

What are Your Best Practices?

Best Practices StudiesThese studies can be defined as inquiries into... Read More

Pitching to Employees

The senior flight attendant on the WestJet flight was starting... Read More

Critical Success Factors - Next

The Critical Success Factors Focusing on the... Read More

The Death Spiral

Sometimes things just happen. Maybe we lose focus and take... Read More

Be a Leader - The Importance of Going Home Early!

How you run your business is, of course your business.... Read More

Successful Business Decision Making

Some people make decisions without any difficulty, while others struggle.... Read More

You Get the Behavior You Reward

On consulting assignments, here are some of the questions I... Read More

Character: Is It Necessary In Leadership? (Part Two)

In the first part of this two part article, I... Read More

Presenteeism: The Hidden Costs of Business

(prez.un.TEE.iz.um) nPresenteeism, a relatively unknown concept, is the complement of... Read More

The Best Way to Keep Track of Meetings

How should you keep track of meetings?Have you ever wanted... Read More

Implementation the Catalyst of Change for Management to Reach that Next Level of Success

From the personal and professional experiences of other colleagues and... Read More

The Top 5 Signals That Your Business Is Running You

Starting your own business is a great undertaking but running... Read More

Micromanagement and Delegation

Micro-Management and Delegation ... Read More

Delegate, Dont Abdicate

One of the key skills for the leaders of growing... Read More