Abandon the Mission Statement

Mission statements became literary prose framed and hung in lobbies as a proud piece of executive leadership. Some organizations are still concerned with the quality of their mission statement and how well it's worded. Let it go.

Ask your front line employees what the mission statement is or what the intent of a mission statement is and they will look blankly at you.

Ask your customers what your mission statement is and what it means, and you will get the same blank look.

Ask your executives how the mission statement has changed over the past five years and why those changes were made and see what they have to say.

How has your work environment changed in the last 12 months? How has your work process changed in the last 12 months? How have you changed your mission statement to reflect these turbulent times? Exactly my point.

The business environment is changing rapidly with no expectation to return to how it was 18 months ago. The future economy and the future approach to business will be dramatically different. Mission statements are fine when you are floating along in an unchanging environment, but in today's times, mission statements need replaced with improvement strategies.

Improvement strategies in:

Process improvements

Innovation, streamlining of job tasks, and gathering ideas from those who work on the front lines should be a focus in finding better methods. Because budgets are tight organizations are resistant to spending for new technology, I understand that. So focus on the improvements that can be made for little or no technology investment.

How can you modify work flow? How can you cross train to have better job coverage, what ideas can you get from the front lines to speed processes, improve quality and accountability? This strategy will do more for getting employee buy in and commitment than any sentence framed on a wall in the lobby.

Customer interaction

To bring back customers, companies are in a battle field of convincing customers to return to previous spending habits and exactly where to spend that money! There has never been a more important time for creating a compelling argument as to why customers need to return to you.

Make that compelling argument through savvy marketing, outstanding customer service, and delivering the exact product customers are looking for at a bargain price.

Mission statement came along when executives needed to spell out the direction they wanted the organization to head. It improved communications from the top to the bottom. In the age of information employees are better informed and are numb to well crafted messages. They are more swayed by the actions and investments of time and energy from the executives, than a well worded piece of paper. Let your actions speak louder than words.