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I've been on a "mission" kick lately, which is a bit unlike me, since I tend to be pretty pragmatic and facts/data-oriented when it comes to how I approach HR.
At the same time, the world is in flux - millions are losing their jobs and companies are struggling to stay afloat. People and organizations are being forced to re-invent themselves in order to make it through this recession and come out healthy.
Amid such dramatic changes, it's natural for us to reach for an anchor to guide our thinking and future planning.
Unfortunately, most organizations' mission/vision statements don't serve as helpful anchors or guideposts. They are we-centered and inward-looking. They focus on generic goals like maximizing customer and shareholder value or being the best at providing some sort of solution/product/service that, in an economic environment such as this, loses its relevance.
In Good to Great Jim Collins emphasizes the need to orient an enterprise around a vision that faces outward. A vision/mission that aspires to change the world, even if only in some small way.
Collins doesn't propose this for its feel-good value (though such a mission can play a significant role in employee engagement/motivation). Rather, such mission statements allow ultimate flexibility in adapting your organization and business model to economic and market realities that are always changing, without losing sight of your ultimate objective. They allow you to constantly re-invent yourself without modifying your highest aspirations and values.
By way of example, here are a few that I found online (with some slight editing for readability).
Not Very Helpful:
- "To exceed customer expectations and fulfill customer needs with the highest quality products at the lowest available cost."
- "To delight our communities of users, advertisers, and publishers - all of us united in creating indispensable experiences."
- "To be the preferred destination for our customers by delivering outstanding value, continuous innovation and an exceptional customer experience."
Getting Better:
- "Simply, to make it easy for you to express your personal style throughout your life."
- "To Give everyone the freedom to create their own social network for anything."
- "To Save people money so they can live better."
Really Good:
- "To make the world's information universally accessible and useful."
- "To connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty."
- "To unite Artists and Fans in an independent movement that aims to level the playing field in the global music industry."
If you're in a position amid this recession to re-invent yourself, think about how you want to change the world for the better. What problem do you want to help solve? If you could make some small change in how the universe operates, what would that be?
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Comments
03.09.09
Mike, thanks for the excellent post. I've read Good to Great, thought it was awesome, and I'm trying to use those principles in the organizations I'm involved with. I think it's very important to have a clear, impactful mission with several lofty goals...this guides you and allows you to adapt as markets and business changes. The organizations that languish are the ones without a vision.
03.09.09
Hey - I like where your head is at on this. I've noticed more and more that as things get 'bad' people are re-prioritizing what matters to them, realizing that what they think they own can be taken away so quickly. It is good to see you advocating social consciousness!
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