III. Mission: Third Step of Strategic Planning & Management:

 

III.                Mission: Third Step of Strategic Planning & Management:

 In the previous post, we have discussed Vision and Values in detail. Now, we will throw light on Mission and Mission Statement.

There is an ambiguity between Vision and Mission, but they serve two distinct functions.  The Vision depicts how you want the world to change but the mission tells about the organization’s purpose.  For example:

Vision– An aspirational description of what an organization would like to achieve or accomplish in the long term. Vision is a clear guide for choosing current and future courses of action. It is actually the destination where any organization wants to reach.

Mission – Mission defines your course of action/s to achieve the already set objectives or vision. It tells you how to reach at your destination.

Mission statement again is usually a sentence or two and should be developed with your Board/Staff and Executive Management Team.

Characteristics of Mission Statement

A mission statement defines the basic reason for the existence of that organization. Such a statement reflects the corporate philosophy, identity, character, and image of an organization. The SMART mission statement must be comprised of the given characteristics.

1. It should be feasible: A mission should always aim high but it should not be an impossible statement. It should be realistic and achievable. Its followers must find it to be credible.

2. It should be precise: Keep it short but comprehensive so that staff and customers can easily memorize it.

3. It should be clear. The mission statement should be clear and free of an ambiguous message.

4. It should be motivating. A mission statement should be motivating for members of the organization, customers and of society, and they should feel it worthwhile working for such an organization or being its customers.

5. It should be distinctive. It should be unique and distinctive as compared to other organizations.

7. It should indicate how objectives are to be accomplished. Besides indicating the broad strategies to be adopted a mission statement should also provide clues regarding how the objectives are to be accomplished.

8. Customer-oriented and product-oriented.

How to Create a Mission Statement

To develop your mission statement, follow the steps below.

Step 1: Gather Information, Form a Planning Team and Organize a Meeting

Agree on the membership of a planning team. Usually, the planning team will include representation from the board of directors, senior management and staff of the organization. Sometimes, representatives from the organization’s beneficiaries are also members. Invite the planning team to a half-day meeting to review and revise or develop a new mission statement.

Before the meeting, collect a copy of the organization's mission statement, if there is one, as well as information about the organization's clients, products and services, and history. Prepare an agenda that allows time for the group to discuss each of the four basic questions.

Step 2: Define Whom the Organization Serves

Since no organization is large enough to meet the diverse needs of everyone, the planning team should specify who its priority beneficiaries are by answering the question, "To whom does this organization serve?" Target customers, the solution to their problem and services should be cleared. 

Step 3: Clarify What the Organization Does

Now the team needs to describe the purpose of the organization: what it does or, if it is a new organization, what it will do. Identify the needs of the populations served and specify what products and services the organization offer to address those needs.

 

Step 4: Explain Why the Organization Does What it does

Next answer the question, “Why do we do what we do?” The answer generally describes a response to a broad social problem. It also provides a basis for decisions concerning what the organization does moving forward.

 

Step 5: Describe How the Organization Delivers Products and Services

In this optional step, define the strategies, means and resources by which the organization delivers services and meets the needs of its clients or beneficiaries. Look at organizations that offer similar services and products for the same clients to determine how products and services need to differ from those of competitors.

 

Step 6: Write the Mission Statement

Compose a smaller team—one or two people who are good writers—to pull together the deliberations into a one or two-sentence mission statement. Articulate the "who," "what," "why" and "how" of the organization in a way that makes it stand out as unique among competitors.

Get feedback from everyone who participated in its development to ensure the statement reflects a common understanding. Then share it with staff and board members, those who are served by the organization, and partners to get feedback. Finalize and share the statement with the board, staff and public.

A well-framed mission statement is the foundation of a well-functioning and inspired SBCC organization. It will guide the organization’s work over the long term, motivate its staff and attract funders.

 

Your Mission checklist:

•          Does it tell the world about the purpose of the organization?

•          Is it clear and simple?

• Will it helps keep you focused on the right things?

•          Does it link in well with your Vision and tell people your part in delivering it?

Some examples of mission statements are shown below:

• Nike (athletics) – "To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world."
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (pharmaceuticals) – "To discover, develop, and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases."
• ConocoPhillips (gas/energy) – "Our mission is to power civilization."
• Walgreens (drugstores) – "To be the most trusted, convenient multichannel provider and advisor of innovative pharmacy, health and wellness solutions, and consumer goods and services in communities across America."
• The Dow Chemical Company (chemicals) – "To passionately create innovation for our stakeholders at the intersection of chemistry, biology and physics."