The importance of a mission statement to an organization is taught in business school and written in countless number of books (eg. Built to Last), but I was thinking about it today and its role in a time of crisis, so I thought I’d jot a few thoughts down.
When you navigate through the wilderness without a compass, you’re not staring up at the sky as you walk. Rather, you look for the North Star when you’re lost. I think this applies to mission statements.
A mission statement is the “why” of the organization.
When times are tough, thinking about your mission a little more than usual should help motivate you. If a strategy shift is necessary, the mission statement should help drive some of these difficult decisions.
For those who are experiencing rapid growth, especially if you are hiring rapidly, culture is something you’ll want to keep an eye on. The mission statement helps here as well.
For all startups, remembering the mission statement is helpful in communication with all stake holders, including with current and future employees, customers, and investors. In a time where the entire world is reflecting on priorities, starting with the “why” (Simon Sinek’s thing) is increasingly important.
What’s your organizations mission statement? How is it helping you through this time today?
Some food for thought.
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