Your Company Mission: What Are You Aiming At?
This concludes the series, 7 Easy Ways to Kill Your Business. Let’s talk about something every business should have: A clearly defined mission. But then again, if you want a surefire way to kill your business, then you might as well skip it.
A company without a mission is like a ship without a rudder. You are at the mercy of the environment and can only hope it takes you somewhere good.
A clearly defined mission is a vital part of every successful company. How do you know you’ve achieved success when you aren’t sure what success is? A mission can be as broad as “Providing an unrivaled customer experience” or as specific as “To increase our revenue this year by 10% over last year.” The important part is defining it and then setting a plan to reach it.
In the first example of “Providing an unrivaled customer experience,” this statement will drive future decisions for the company. It all begins here. Time will need to be spent on deciding what a normal experience is, and then determining how to provide something above and beyond that. If the normal or expected experience is that the customer picks out their color of widget, then maybe the new experience is a “personal designer” that helps them pick the color based on expertise and experience.
The key is that the mission drives the decision to do more, be different, take it to that next level. Each decision that comes along will need to get weighed against the mission to be sure it aligns. This creates culture and congruency in the processes, people and procedures in the company. If focused properly, the company will embody the mission in every aspect.
In the second example of “To increase our revenue this year by 10% over last year” the tactics are much clearer and concrete. This is a mission that allows you to measure your specific results. Similarly, it’s the action plan that goes with it that is more important. What needs to happen and change in order for new results to be achieved? If it is simply hoping the market changes, you are still in the boat without a rudder. More specifically, increasing market share is what most successful groups are after.
THERE ARE THREE STEPS TO SUCCESS WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR MISSION:
1. Create and define it (what are you committed to achieving?)
2. Set up your plan for success (how will you achieve it?)
3. Chart your progress so everyone knows how you’re tracking (this keeps people engaged and accountable.)
As John Maxwell says, “Luck is simply the intersection of preparation and opportunity.”
Decide what you want to achieve. Figure out what accomplishment would mean to you and your team, then set the mission, layout the plan and push for the results. Set the target. Without one, you’ll aim at nothing and hit it with amazing accuracy. And when you’ve achieved your goals and your mission, celebrate. Have a party and congratulate those that got you there…Then, lay out your next mission. Always appreciative, never satisfied.
