mission impossible
There may be trouble ahead. I’ve just started doing a bit of work with one new client and things bode well – nice guys, a great ‘socially-good’ business idea, open-minded and highly motivated. The only issue I have is they love their mission statement. It’s printed out and is there for all to see on several walls in their compact & cosy office. What must they have been thinking?
Company mission statements are the business equivalent of a letter to Santa Claus. If you distilled all the mission statements of all the companies in all the world what you’d end up with is: “We are committed to being world leaders in our industry. We will do this through delighting all our customers by the sheer stand-out quality of our product and service offerings. Our People are undoubtedly our greatest asset and we are committed to developing them to the full, irrespective of cost or impact on the bottom-line. We respect the environment and are conscious of health & safety in everything we do.”
Hogwash. In reality what this translates into is: “We must ensure customers buy enough of our product to keep the shareholders happy and off our back. We value our employees as much as they are worth and grudgingly comply to as little health & safety as possible.”
If mission statements are truly going to be relevant, realistic and inspire individuals to go that little bit further, then they should read more along the lines of: “We are going to be a fantastic company to work for, for three reasons – first, we’re going to make shed-loads of money; second, we’re going to create a great office environment that’s just like home but without the kids and Jehovah’s Witnesses; third, we’re going to slaughter the competition and leave them for dead.”
OK, a tad harsh, but instead of wishy-washy statements of ‘fugazi’ intent what we need here are concrete targets. What about “We are going to develop a cost-effective alternative to fossil-fuels in three years; create an ethical banking and investment industry in two; computers that won’t ever become obsolete in one.” Unrealistic? Try the Kennedy Space Centre belief from the 50s: “We’re going to put a man on the moon within a decade.” Now that’s a statement of intent if ever I heard one.
That’s why mission statements should take the form of the Ten Commandments, so everyone knows exactly where they stand: “Thou shalt meet thy targets. Thou shalt build code that actually compiles. Thou shalt come to work, ready to work. Thou shalt communicate internally at all times and not brown-nose the boss. Thou shalt take risks (unless your name is Nick Leeson) and think creatively. Thou shalt not shirk your responsibilities but lead & motivate others to achieve huge success.” Mind, if you didn’t shape-up, you’d obviously burn in hellfire. But if that was the case at least you could cheer yourself up whilst riding the big escalator downstairs by re-reading your company’s mission statement!
