How Do You Make Your Mission Statement Happen?
You’ve probably picked up by now that while we certainly care about big ideas, we’re far more interested in how they’re successfully implemented. That’s why a recent Fast Company article (they’ve done it again!) is so fascinating to us.
The business world is awash with mission statements, vision statements, and the like. These overarching statements of purpose can be helpful if used properly, but all too often they are completely disconnected from what actually goes on in the day-to-day life of a company.
However, there is a way to do it differently. Former Widen Enterprises CEO Matthew Gonnering took the core idea of mission statements so seriously that everything he did at his company was aligned to truly execute on theirs. The results were astounding.
I seriously suggest you check out the full story here to find out how to do the same for your business.
About the author, David Shriner-Cahn
David is the podcast host and community builder behind Smashing the Plateau, an online platform offering resources, accountability, and camaraderie to high-performing professionals who are making the leap from the corporate career track to entrepreneurial business ownership.
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Good article! I make a big deal of our Mission Statement internally, but generally don’t publish it – other than as a blurb on the website – because I don’t want it to appear self-serving to clients or to my employees.
However, carefully developing our Statement and insisting that everything we do internally support one or more of the points has made all the difference in how we conduct business:
1) To provide the traditional level of customer service to our clients and their customers that our grandparents used to expect;
2) To use technology as an adjunct to customer service; not as a replacement for it; and
3) For our clients to view us as a trusted partner; a profit center rather than a cost center.
In the end, the aggressive implementation and institutionalization of this type of thought process really does make a difference in the delivery of our services.
Jeff, I agree that having a set of core values does make a difference – both internally and externally. When I see values front and center on a company’s web site, it makes a difference to me. I know that the organization stands for something — of value.