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Muse Michelann Quimby

Specialty: Organizational Development

Michelann Quimby: Michelann is an organizational development coach and consultant. She specializes in helping entrepreneurs and leaders define and communicate compelling visions that motivate and engage employees. She is an experienced speaker and published writer on topics relating to organizational values, ethics, and interpersonal dynamics. She holds a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Ethics.

Michelann's personal mission is to help people become more aware, purposeful, and ethical in their working lives.

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Michelann is a Muse who used to be an opera singer.

Mission, Vision & Values:
What Are They, and Why Do They Matter?

(Page 1 of 2)

As entrepreneurs, it's almost impossible to avoid writing a mission statement. We need them for our business plans. We need them for our investors. Our mentors and advisors tell us we need them. But what is a mission statement, really? Why do we need it? How can it help our businesses? Let's look at Wikipedia's definition of the mission statement:

"A mission statement is a brief statement of the purpose of a company…The following elements can be included in a mission statement.

Purpose and values of the organization.
Products, services, or market; or, who are the organization's primary "clients" (stakeholders).
What are the responsibilities of the organization towards these "clients"?
What are the main objectives supporting the company in accomplishing its mission?"

That seems like a lot of information to cram into a few sentences that are supposed to sum up your business. In reality, there are several elements that comprise the foundation of your company and describe how you want it to be perceived.

I propose that we break this concept down into three progressive pieces, or core elements: (see core elements chart here).

1. Core Values - Who are we?
Core values are 3-5 terms that describe the forces that drive you to form and grow your organization. If you are the founder, they are the same as or closely related to your personal values. Your values tell you not only who you are as an organization, but who you are not. They encompass your ethics, principals, and beliefs about your organization and its relationship to the world. Core values are immutable, they will probably remain the same for the life of your organization.

Example: "integrity, honesty, openness, personal excellence, constructive self-criticism, continual self-improvement, and mutual respect" - Microsoft

2. Vision Statement - Why are we here?
Vision is the reason your company exists. The world changes, technology changes, so your vision statement may not refer to your product. It should convey is why you are in this business (and not another). It should tie directly back to your core values. If the market changed dramatically, your vision should remain intact because it speaks to what your company represents, not just what it does.

Example: "..to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential." - Microsoft

3. Mission Statement - What do we do?
While your mission should refer more specifically to the type of business you do or products you sell, it can also encompass what you feel your organization's contribution will be to your industry, community, or to the world. Your mission statement may change if your company outlives the industry it started in, but it should still tie back to your core values and vision.

Example: "Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."

Ultimately, you may want to combine aspects of these three elements into one statement that you use externally and internally, but I feel it's important to differentiate between them during the development stage.

Contact:
Michelann Quimby, Organizational Consultant
DiaMind Consulting
www.Michelann.com
www.diamindconsulting.com

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Mission Statement Tips

10 Tips for Creating Meaningful Values and Mission Statements

Don't write a statement on the fly without seriously considering how all stakeholders will receive it: leadership, employees, customers, investors, and your community.
Don't use over-used or overly broad terms like "excellence" and "synergy." Avoid buzzwords and clichés.
Don't use your mission statement to list your accomplishments.
Don't be overly specific about your products. Mission statements communicate your company's goals; the way it reaches them will change as technology and market demands change. "Improving the health of our customers" is better statement then "Providing the best anti-inflammatory drugs available."
Don't assume that everyone already understands the values of your organization.
Do identify your personal values before creating them for your organization. A quick way to do this is find a laundry list of values on the web (there are several sites). Give yourself 5 minutes to identify 15-20 terms that resonate with you. Then give yourself 3 minutes to narrow the list to 7-10 terms. Take 2 minutes to narrow your list to a minimum of 3, maximum of 5 terms. This will give you a good baseline to work from.
Do carefully consider if you are willing to stand behind the values you espouse. If claim "honesty" as a core value, then you must be willing to encourage open conversation at all levels of your organization. Stating a value but acting in opposition to it is worse than not stating it at all.
Do be brutally honest with yourself about your goals. If you are a workaholic, but you espouse life-work balance for your employees, you're going to run into difficulty when you expect them to work long hours. Be up front about your expectations, and make sure your core values reflect them accurately.
Do keep your mission and values statements as short and succinct as possible.
Do get feedback from your customers and employees after you've developed your first draft. Understanding how others experience your organization is crucial to developing a resonant, lasting mission.