Many organizations spend a lot of time and money creating mission statements to highlight their work and align employees around a common vision. But the fact is, many mission statements fail, becoming nothing more than a paragraph tucked into a seldom-read company handbook.
Important Factors Studies have found that organizations exhibit consistently higher performance when their mission statements:
|
For the most part, mission statements that fail do so because they:
- Use fuzzy, non-specific language,
- Include interchangeable goals or visions that could apply to any organization,
- Lack true, prolonged leadership support, and
- Are poorly implemented.
Still, every not-for-profit organization, big or small, should have a mission statement. Here are three reasons:
But these things are only true if the mission statement is properly written and prominently displayed on your organization's website, in its brochures and in other materials.
Here are a few elements to consider when writing a mission statement:
- Target Audience. This might include members, employees, contributors and the community. The mission statement can be targeted at a combination of these groups or just one of them.
- Length. Some mission statements are only a single sentence, while others are long and encompass visions, philosophies, objectives, plans and strategies. Generally, it's best to come up with something that's concise and easy to understand and actionable — a document your organization will actually use to make decisions.
- Tone. Establishing the correct tone involves a process of intentional word selection. If the language is too flowery, a great mission statement may not be taken seriously. Use appropriate language that's directed at the target audience and reflects the makeup of the organization.
- Endurance. A mission statement should be able to withstand the test of time and be meaningful for many years. By the same token, a mission statement should be updated to reflect changes in your nonprofit and the larger world.
- Uniqueness. Since every nonprofit is different, a mission statement should be customized to reflect your organization's needs and goals.
Effective mission statements can be a great asset. When everyone is working together toward a shared goal, the group has a better chance of being successful. Perform an analysis of your culture and development, and prioritize goals and objectives. When this process is complete, the mission — and your mission statement's contents — should be clear.