If your company’s vision is the overarching “what” that you want to pursue and achieve, its mission statement is the road map that leads you to it. How you’ll train America’s next leaders, bring clean water to all, or make products that people feel good about, that’s your mission statement.
But as your organization evolves and grows, it’s possible that it may also outgrow its mission statement. Luckily, the Arden team has seen its fair share of mission statements that need a makeover. Check out our 7 signs that you need a new mission statement below.
Already suspect you might be in the outdated mission statement dog house? Do something meaningful about it. Collect your core members and assemble an offsite that will make a huge difference. The complete game plan that you can apply to your business is already written: Download Arden’s free guide to successful offsite facilitations here!
You need a new mission statement if…
1. You don’t know what it is
When asked to recite your mission statement, if a succinct sentence or two doesn’t come to mind immediately, you’ve got some corporate soul searching to do.
Arden’s mission: Personal and professional leadership development that benefits individuals and their organizations.
2. Others don’t know what it is
A well-serving mission statement should also be on the tip of the tongue of your teams and employees. Ask around the office. Do your employees know what your mission statement is without making a mad dash to the break room to check the poster on the wall?
3. It’s too long
Remember that a mission statement is a statement and not a paragraph or rant. If nobody knows your mission statement by heart (including you), there’s a chance that it may be too detailed or long to remember.
Want more on the difference between a mission statement and a vision? Click here.
4. It doesn’t inspire
Your mission statement should be a stimulating yet fairly short read. Try objectively looking at your statement and asking yourself (based solely on your current statement), would I want to work for this company?
5. You don’t make decisions based on it
Your mission statement should act as your company’s conscience and be called on each time a major decision is made. Do you consider your mission statement when hiring and firing, crafting a new marketing plan, or determining yearly budgets? Or does it just gather dust?
6. You haven’t revisited it in the last 5 years
A lot can change within a company in 5 years. Even if the roots of your mission statement still apply, it likely needs at least a little tweaking. A properly planned offsite makes a great venue for discussing, evaluating, and revising your mission statement with your company’s main contributors.
7. Nobody cares if it’s updated
If you get a so what vibe from others at your organization when you mention the need to return to your mission statement, it absolutely needs to be updated. And, unfortunately, you’ve got some bigger issues that need to be solved first.
Why Revisit Your Mission Statement?
The highest-level strategy of your company deserves genuine time, attention, and effort. Shaping who you are and what you do, what’s important and what’s not, and who you strive to make a difference for, a mission statement is your organization’s route to success.
If you’re guilty of the mission statement sins above, the coaches at Arden can help. As executive coaches that double as seasoned offsite facilitators, we have the experience, know-how, and drive required to help you reorient your team to find a mission statement that will be an accurate reflection of who you are now, where you came from, and what you hope to achieve.
Get in touch with us about offsite facilitation now. Or learn our pro tips for putting on an offsite that will yield breakthrough results here.