Take This Into Consideration Before You Write Your Mission Statement

What principles should a company keep in mind when developing a mission statement? Appropriate criteria must be chosen for defining the business. There are several alternatives for defining one's services: by the products one produces, by unique resources that the company possesses, by a particular strength that the company has, by unique financial measures, or by needs that are met. Anyone who has to draft a mission statement should pretend that he or she is an advertising copywriter. "Tell the world in 25 words or less who you are and what you want to become." The statement should be concise and to the point.

Management must identify the opportunities and threats confronting the company, the critical success factors in the marketplace, and the company's internal strengths and weaknesses. Then it will have to look both forward and backward. "What have we been doing?" and "What do we want to change?" In the end, though, it is the forward look which should determine the content of the mission statement, to set the future direction: "What do we want the corporation to become?"

Recalling the dilemma of finding a marketing niche while avoiding marketing myopia, a company must strike a sound balance between too wide and too narrow a definition of the business. Too wide a definition can leave the organization with no real direction for strategic planning, while too narrow a statement can blind management to, or cause it to ignore, environmental changes, opportunities, and threats.

Ultimately, employees are the main audience for a company's mission statement. The statement not only furthers a common understanding of the organization's purpose among them but also nurtures allegiance and commitment. All three are essential if employees are to work together effectively to promote the organization's ends. After having been developed, a mission statement should rarely need to be altered, and then only as a result of a significant change: perhaps a sharp decline in the company's markets, the crystallization of a new opportunity, or the accession of a new management.

Copyright AE Schwartz & Associates All rights reserved. For additional presentation materials and resources: ReadySetPresent and for a Free listing as a Trainer, Consultant, Speaker, Vendor/Organization: TrainingConsortium

CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.

---

Why Free Agent Thinking Is Good For Your Company

It's no secret! Day after day the news is riddled... Read More

How Your Business Can Pick A Software Developer

Eventually, your business is going to need to have some... Read More

Necessary Tasks You May Want to Delegate

As a business owner, time is of the essence. Running... Read More

ISO 9001 What Records Does My Business Need To Keep?

Which documents must I keep for ISO 9001?In addition to... Read More

Future Business Success - What Does Good Look Like?

When you know you need to shift up a gear,... Read More

Passion for Profits

Business owners and managers are busier than ever. As their... Read More

The Leadership Imperative: Making Your Leadership Your Life

Nearly all leaders I've encountered are underachievers. They're getting a... Read More

Five Steps to Increase the People Power in Your Business

Take some bold steps and help your employees and business... Read More

Top 5 Services Your Company?s Accounting Department Should Outsource

Accounting is one area which every company has to maintain... Read More

Talent Recruitment Challenges of High Technology Companies

As a result of the dot com meltdown and the... Read More

What Every Manager Should Know About How to Become An Effective Executive

In his book, The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker pointed out... Read More

People - You Cant Make Them What Theyre Not

Many business people and managers are spending too much time... Read More

Communicating with Offsite Workers

How do you, or would you, communicate with employees who... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Look For Sponsors And Solution Owners

Look for sponsors and solution owners rather than problem owners.Everyone... Read More

CEOs And Boards Are Locked In A Spiral Of Doom

American CEOs are dropping like flies. Boards, armed with new... Read More

Towards Intercultural Understanding

An individual's ability to forge effective relationships across cultures is... Read More

Setting a Pitiful Example: Twenty-six Warnings to Heed *

TO: All Parents [and Employers and Managers]From: Your Child and/or... Read More

Business Innovation ? Status Games

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More

Humor in Business

With the advancement of computer simulators, anybody can repeat all... Read More

What Makes a Crisis a Crisis?

If you're old enough and were living in America about... Read More

Conference Calling Can Save Your Sales OrganizationTime and Money!

Conference calling can save you money. There is no doubt... Read More

How Can A Communications Audit Help You?

Organizations communicate in two directions: internally to staff and externally... Read More

You?re Hired, Now Go Home: Managing Workers at a Distance

Telecommuting or virtual work opens up a wider net of... Read More

The Changing Boss-Secretary Relationship

THE CHANGING BOSS-SECRETARY RELATIONSHIP: Imagine a partnership at work. One... Read More

Terrible Meetings - Ten Ways to Spot Them!

Sometimes, better than giving advice about how to run things... Read More

10 Critical Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Consultant

Talk to as many consultants as you can before hiring... Read More

Uncommon Common Sense ? Know What is the Most Important Thing in Your Business

Over 3 of my meetings with 3 business owners last... Read More

Four Corners of a Triangle: Why Organizations Succeed or Fail

When we want to hire people for a corporation or... Read More

The Comfort Zone

The Comfort Zone I... Read More

Training and ROI (Return On Investment)

Statistics consistently reinforce that the biggest challenge in today's contact... Read More

50 Great Ways to Motivate and Not Break the Bank

Quick, Easy, and Even Fun! 1. Smile, say "Hi! How... Read More

Lone Rangers Suffer without Tonto

A lone ranger is someone who prefers working in solitude... Read More

Employee Surveys: a Strategic Tool for Positive Change

Do you want to measure your workers' level of satisfaction?... Read More