A mission is what a person, a group, an organization
or company sets out to do. It is the direction that the people involved in the
movement keep in mind while going about their daily routine and not-so-routine
activities. Therefore it will not be unreasonable for us to assert that a
statement outlining the mission of the company or any organization in general
indicates its reason for being, or ‘why it exists’. It also reflects the
community or audience it serves.
Having outlined what a mission statement is, it is
important to know what it should and should not have. Here is a small list of
pointers that one should keep in mind while creating a mission statement.
- Make sure that the
statement expresses your organization's purpose in such a way that it
inspires a feeling of ongoing commitment.
- Ensure that the
statement is convincing, devoid of jargon or slang and is easy to grasp.
- Use of proactive
verbs to describe what an organization sets out to do is recommended. It
enhances the quality and impact of the statement.
- Motivation is an
important objective of the mission statement. Remember that the statement
is not only going to affect the employees but also all those who are
either directly or indirectly associated with the organization.
- Make sure it is
current and relevant. Sometimes an organization sets off with certain
goals but somewhere down the line the same are altered or even changed
completely. Make sure that your statement is always current by
periodically reviewing it. 5 years might be a good time to
re-evaluate the same and tweak it
to make it current.
- And last but not the
least – make sure it is short. It should be short enough for anybody
connected to the organization to recall and replay. Some experts in the
industry say that the statement should not be more that 25 words under any
circumstances.
So how does one actually write this mission
statement? One could perhaps start with referring to the ‘vision’ of the
organization and putting together as many heads as possible and brainstorming.
Some of the following exercises can help you develop that perfect mission
statement:
- A list of 5-10 words
or phrases describing the organization could be drawn. Out of this list
highlight the three that you feel are most important.
- Now list down 3-5
words or phrases that best describe the organization’s ideal image (the
image that you would want the target audience or customer or prospect to
have).
- Along with this make
sure to list down 3-5 words or phrases that best describe the
organization’s ideal image from the management and employee’s standpoint.
Place
all this information together and coin that critical statement. Remember you
may have to go through several drafts before you hit upon the best one.
Samantha Ryan recommends you visit http://www.MissionStatements.com for
more information on mission
statements.
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