Send to KindleRecently, I read a short letter in a major business magazine which stated that mission statements need to be written by the people who have to follow them. I was in an organization once which subscribed to that theory and I can say that the only good that came from the effort was my undying belief that this philosophy is absolutely wrong.
Let me explain.
Most organization’s leaders have some sort of vested interest in the success of the organization. Hopefully that vested interest is a sincere desire for the organization to succeed, but I’m a realist and understand that more often it is a financial stake or desire for personal success. But whatever the motivation, to be successful leaders must lead. There’s an often quoted line from Alice in Wonderland which states that if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there. To avoid this dilemma, the leader must know where he or she is going (vision and mission) and what road will get them there (goals).
It’s a harsh fact that not everyone in the organization gets to set the agenda. Up until about 20 years ago, that was pretty well understood by everyone. Those who didn’t like the fact worked to attain a position from which they could set the agenda, or at least have a voice in it. Times have changed though and the most recent generation to enter the workplace, often called Millennials, have grown up in a world where they did have a voice in family decisions and, often to a larger extent than before, in academic endeavors. As they entered the workplace, they often expected that same latitude.
I advocate the organization’s senior leader use a team of the next level subordinate leaders to create a strategic plan and define mission and goals. If the organization is only a dozen people or so, a team approach with everyone adding input might work; but, most organizations are just too large. You may be asking why the leader can’t include representatives of the rank and file in the planning process. She can, but to what end. The reason I advocate a leadership team like I’ve described is that such a team brings together a brain trust of corporate knowledge and experience. That isn’t to say they’re any smarter, just more experienced. In my experience, when people are included in those discussions that don’t have as extensive a background, they find it difficult to contribute in a meaningful way and can quickly withdraw, feeling alienated and uncomfortable.
As I mentioned above, the generation entering the workforce now expects to have more of a voice than ever before. The leader’s task is to channel that energy in the direction and to the level in which it would be most effective, which will probably be in meeting goals and objectives. But before anyone can be effective in those endeavors, they must know where they’re going and what road will take them there. That means leaders must be able to clearly articulate their vision and the organization’s mission.
There are many ways a mission statement can fail, but most commonly it’s because of a simple lack of communication. As I said, the leader must clearly articulate his or her vision and the organization’s mission in such a way that everyone not only understands, but knows how they fit in successfully accomplishing that mission.
