How to write a mission statement
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How to write a mission statment
Below is an article that Christopher Scott wrote on, "How to write a mission statement" at helium.com.
"How to write a mission statement"
and much more!
It doesn't matter if you work for a nonprofit organization, Fortune 500 company, church, or a small business, you need to have a mission statement. A mission statement is what directs, guides, and motivates the employees of your company to work hard and make a difference. My favorite way to write a mission statement is to include as many employees as possible and use individual words to create a mission statement.
The first step to writing a mission statement is to include as many people as possible in the process. You must do this if you want everyone at your company to "buy in" on the mission statement that is created. One of the worst things you can do is send your top executives out to some corporate planning retreat, let them put a new mission statement together, and then have them try to push and enforce it onto the rest of the company. If you want your entire company to buy in on your new mission statement, they need to be included in the process. When you sit down to create your mission statement, you want everyone from the C.E.O. to the mailman ready to participate in the process.
The second step is to have a dry erase board ready to write. This is when the strongest leader at your company takes over and asks everyone in the room to describe in one word sentences what your company is, does, and wants to become. Words such as "great," "leader," "#1," "best," "service," and other words that describe the company. Every word goes on the board, you will be able to discard the ones you don't like later.
After everyone in the room has ran out of words to use to describe what your company is, does, and wants to become you will now select what words you want to combine into a sentence(s) to form your mission statement. While first doing this, you can have several mission statements. Play with them, change them and tweak them until you finally find and develop one that you and the rest of your company like.
That, my friend is how you write a mission statement.
The first step to writing a mission statement is to include as many people as possible in the process. You must do this if you want everyone at your company to "buy in" on the mission statement that is created. One of the worst things you can do is send your top executives out to some corporate planning retreat, let them put a new mission statement together, and then have them try to push and enforce it onto the rest of the company. If you want your entire company to buy in on your new mission statement, they need to be included in the process. When you sit down to create your mission statement, you want everyone from the C.E.O. to the mailman ready to participate in the process.
The second step is to have a dry erase board ready to write. This is when the strongest leader at your company takes over and asks everyone in the room to describe in one word sentences what your company is, does, and wants to become. Words such as "great," "leader," "#1," "best," "service," and other words that describe the company. Every word goes on the board, you will be able to discard the ones you don't like later.
After everyone in the room has ran out of words to use to describe what your company is, does, and wants to become you will now select what words you want to combine into a sentence(s) to form your mission statement. While first doing this, you can have several mission statements. Play with them, change them and tweak them until you finally find and develop one that you and the rest of your company like.
That, my friend is how you write a mission statement.
Books on how to write a mission statement
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Mission statement books on Amazon
Christopher's articles at helium.com
Christopher writes on nonprofit leadership, innovation, and change
- Similarities between non-profit and for-profit businesses
- What makes a good leader?
- What are the critical characteristics a board of directors need to succeed?
- What qualities make a lead executive
- The skills required for leading volunteers
- Networking for nonprofits
- How to improve moral at your company
- Using a blog to promote your nonprofit organization
- Improving all aspects of your company
- How to conduct effective meetings
- Fresh ideas on fundraising
- How to write a mission statement
More books on how to write a mission statement
Who is this lensmaster?
Learn more about Christopher Scott by reading his blog. . .
Nonprofit Leadership, Innovation, and Change
This lens supports A Day of Hope
Will this help you write a mission statement?
Don't have to write mission statements, leave Christopher a comment anyway!
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Margo_Arrowsmith
Sep 22, 2008 @ 7:31 am | delete
- This is a step too many businesses forget. 5* and this is going to my squidoo library lens!
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SonjaHelga Feb 18, 2008 @ 8:26 am | delete
- I have been trying to write a mission statement, but, somehow, it never came out right! Thanks for this article,
Ruth
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Rajays
Jan 11, 2008 @ 3:05 am | delete
- Great Article. Fun to read and helpful information on a topic that most people just don't do it right. Will also check out your other articles on Helium. Great work.
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Home-healthcare Nov 27, 2007 @ 10:00 am | delete
- Mission Statements are "guiding lights" that keep all involved on the same course, with the same VISION. Without vision, you have random, sometimes counter-productive, action. Thanks for sharing this!
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AmyFox
Oct 21, 2007 @ 2:57 pm | delete
- A most useful lens - thanks!
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