The Importance of Writing a Mission Statement

A strong mission statement is a powerful tool for all organizations. The mission shares the company's values and assists clients, employees, and the community understand the business's goals and objectives.  

The Importance of a Strong Mission Statement 

An organization’s mission statement is the basis of its identity and explains its purpose and core values that guide its actions. Creating a mission statement can also help leaders align strategies and build a sense of belonging for employees. 

A clear mission statement shows your organization's beliefs and tells potential clients and the community what to expect from your products or services. Potential employees will also look at your mission statement to see where your organization stands on the issues they care about.  

Aligning Your Mission Statement with Organizational Values 

Having organizational members collaborate and write their mission statement results in a positive self-examination of the goals and values the company strives to achieve. The following steps will help mission statement developers deliver the best outcome. 

Steps to Writing a Mission Statement 

1.  Involve employees in mission statement development. The mission statement generally starts at the top with the executive leadership team. However, we recommend getting input from a large workforce population.

Focus groups provide a comfortable space for employees to give feedback and suggestions for change. This inclusive approach fosters a sense of ownership and sees that the mission resonates with all employees. 

2.  Allow for customization within functional areas. Departments may want to customize the mission statement to reflect more specific goals and objectives unique to their function. Encourage customization within the parameters of the main statement and the organization’s overall goals.

3. Keep the mission statement short. The mission statement should be meaningful, concise, and memorable, making it easy to remember and share. A few select words can convey a powerful message to all stakeholders. 

The Role of a Mission Statement in Strategic Planning 

A good mission statement acts as a guide for strategic planning to help make sure all initiatives and decisions match the organization's core values and long-term goals.  

A well-crafted mission statement is often a source of guidance and pride for the organization and a useful source of information for any outside professionals to use as the basis of any effective intervention. Remember, a mission statement is just one part of a well-structured strategic plan, which serves as the foundation for other programs such as compensation, human resources, recruiting, retention, etc.