A mission statement can unite the staff and set the stage for a successful year. It concisely explains why your group exists and guides your decisions, actions and responsibilities.
Here are a few well-known groups’ mission statements:
- TED: Spreading Ideas.
- The Humane Society: Celebrating Animals, Confronting Cruelty.
- The Nature Conservancy: To conserve the lands and water on which all life depends.
- Make-A-Wish: We grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
- San Diego Zoo is a conservation, education and recreation organization dedicated to the reproduction, protection and exhibition of animals, plants and their habitats.
- Honest Tea: Real Tea. Real Taste. Honest.
These mission statements use concrete language and personally connect to that group. Yours will serve as a blueprint for the year and what your staff is about. It should be:
- Clear, simple and concise
- Easy to explain – and easily explainable by others
- Recognizably yours
Avoid ambiguous statements, buzz words and fancy jargon that take the meaning out. The strongest mission statements are clear, concise and memorable.
See this list of questions to help formulate your mission statement. And to make sure your mission statement isn’t terrible, take heed of this advice from Fast Company’s Dan Heath.
