Mission (not) Impossible
“So, what do you do?” is the most typical question anyone asks after being introduced at a networking event.
Unless you’re an astronaut, a government spy, or a pirate, what you do is not nearly as interesting as why you do it. Your “why” distinguishes you from everyone else. There are thousands of other professionals that do what you do and probably many that do it the same way you do it. But it’s unlikely there’s anyone that does it for the same reasons you do.
Your “why” is your mission. It’s your purpose. And an important part of your brand message, along with your vision and your values.
Mission, Vision, Values
When I introduce clients to the process of discovering their true brand, I explain how mission, vision, and values are distinct from one another but also work together to form a brand message. The illustration I use is an image of a person standing on a suspension bridge between two mountain peaks.
The person represents their mission (purpose), the opposite peak represents their vision (destination), and the guardrails on the bridge represent their values (boundaries).
An effective mission does three things:
It defines your “why” (purpose).
It informs your vision (destination) and your values (boundaries)
It informs your marketing strategy (but it is NOT a marketing statement, tagline, or slogan).
Mission statement Guidelines
To develop an effective mission statement, use these guidelines:
It should be compelling and aspirational. If you're not excited about your purpose, you won't function with authenticity.
It should be focused. While your company might have multiple products, services, or strategies, you can only carry out one mission at a time.
Not everyone will align with your mission statement but that’s ok; not everyone is a right-fit client, partner, or employee.
Your mission statement should be easy for people outside the organization to understand. Use human language and keep it short. A workshop instructor once told me that he believed a mission statement should be able to fit on a t-shirt and be read from a distance (15-20 words).
Below are some mission statements of well-known companies. See if you can guess the companies (answers at the end of this article).
“To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.”
“To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
“To refresh the world. To inspire moments of optimism and happiness. To create value and make a difference.”
“To accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.”
“To give customers the most compelling shopping experience possible.”
“We fulfill dreams through the experience of motorcycling.”
“Spread ideas.”
Your mission, should you choose to accept it…
Developing a mission statement for your organization doesn’t have to be an impossible or intimidating task. But it does require time and effort. And sometimes it requires a helpful guide, like me.
If you’d like to begin the journey to discovering your mission, vision, and values and develop an authentic brand, let’s have a conversation.
Answers to the mission statement quiz: 1.Nike 2.Google 3.Coca-Cola 4.Tesla 5.Nordstrom 6.Harley-Davidson 7.TED