How to avoid a dull mission statement for your business

Most mission statements aren’t a statement of a mission at all. They’re long, boring and don’t inspire any action. The impact of having a dull mission statement, or none at all, is a scattered and unproductive team. If this sounds familiar, watch this video where I share the formula you need to write a mission statement that’s exciting, memorable and gets your team members to buy into your story.

Video Transcript:

Most mission statements aren't a statement of a mission at all. They're long, boring, and don't inspire any action. The impact of having a dull mission statement, or none at all, is a scattered and unproductive team. If this sounds familiar, keep watching and I'll share the formula you need to write a mission statement that's exciting, memorable, and gets your team members to buy into your story. The first part of the formula for a great mission statement is to identify the conflict you are up against. Your mission statement needs to introduce a sense of drama or conflict that defines what you will overcome as a business. It's with this conflict that all great stories really start. This is where you capture people's attention. The second part of the formula is to define a destination. Everyone at your organisation needs to know not only what you're overcoming but where you are going to take them. The story must be given a direction and that can only happen when your destination has been defined. It's important to remember that your destination needs to be specific. It can't be a vague statement like "make the world a better place". The destination must be clear, visual, and specific. The third part and final part of the formula is to foreshadow the stakes of your mission. This defines what will be won or lost if you do or do not accomplish your mission. There is no reason to go on a mission in the first place if nothing can be lost if you don't. In defining the stakes of the story, we understand what really matters which creates a priority or actions for us to take. Your mission statement should only consist of these three elements. When you include anything else, you risk boring and confusing your audience, your team. If a mission statement isn't interesting enough to be remembered, it will not compel anyone to live that mission. And a mission statement that is forgotten, isn't a mission. It's just dead words on a page. If you'd like support in creating your mission statement and guiding principles, hit the link below or email me on Matt@OneZebra.com and we'll be happy to guide you. Have an awesome day.