Pop quiz: what is your company's mission statement?
"I probably couldn't tell you our current mission statement," laughed one CEO when I asked her this question. "We've gone through a few."
She's not alone. I recently posed this question via an informal poll on LinkedIn. Most either couldn't remember their company's mission (48 percent) or didn't think their company had one (17 percent).
A few had really great, memorable missions.
There are three characteristics that make a mission statement truly memorable and impactful. We'll get to those in just a moment. But first, let's define what a mission statement really is.
What is a mission statement?
A mission statement broadly describes what an organization does. They can range from specific statements to broad ideals.
Southwest Airlines is well-known for its strong service culture. Its mission statement is fairly specific: Connect People to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel.
JetBlue Airways is the highest-rated airline on the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Its mission statement describes a broader ideal: Inspire Humanity.
The two statements are very different, but both are memorable. Employees at both airlines use the missions to guide their daily work and both airlines have a customer-focused culture.
You can learn more about mission statements, and the difference between a mission, vision, and values from this guide.
Now, let's take a look at what makes a mission statement truly memorable.
Characteristic #1: Simplicity
The most memorable mission statements are simple.
Osprey, a company that makes backpacks and other outdoor equipment, has this mission statement: We relentlessly innovate to ease your journey and inspire adventure.
There's a lot of meaning packed into this short sentence:
The simplicity of Osprey's mission makes it easier for employees to remember it and use it to guide their daily work.
When I help companies write their mission statement, I often ask people to imagine that each word they use costs $1,000 out of their own pocket. This helps people use their words as purposefully and economically as possible.
Characteristic #2: Customer-focused
A recent survey of 1,348 North American executives found that just 19 percent described their company's mission statement as customer-focused.
Memorable mission statements transcend topics like market share, revenue growth, or profitability. Those are by-products of a well-run business, but they aren't the reason most of your employees get up in the morning.
Starbucks enjoyed phenomenal growth for many years thanks in part to a simple, customer-focused mission statement: To inspire and nurture the human spirit—one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.
The company aspired to be the third place in its customers' daily lives, a place where people could gather outside of home and work. How many of us have chosen a Starbucks as a convenient place to meet a friend or colleague?
The company's growth as stalled recently, and former CEO Howard Schultz has come back to lead the organization until the next CEO is found. Schultz announced his first order of business in a letter to employees: reconnecting Starbucks with its core purpose (i.e. mission) or creating a new one.
Characteristic #3: Current AND Aspirational
Mission statements often fall short when they're purely aspirational. Employees are quick to disregard a mission that doesn't reflect the current culture.
Memorable mission statements should be grounded in reality.
Costco is on a never-ending quest to provide its members with great products at low prices. That sentiment is clearly reflected in its mission statement: to continually provide our members with quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices.
The mission statement works because it reflects both what Costco does today, and what Costco hopes to do even more of in the future.
When I help clients write their mission statement, I often ask them to think of what the company is doing on a good day when everything is working and customers are delighted. The goal is to be that "best version" of the company more consistently, and the mission should reflect it.
Conclusion
Are you ready to write your own memorable mission statement? You can use this step-by-step guide to write it.
One small caveat: the guide refers to a customer service vision. That's a catch-all term I use for a shared definition of outstanding service. The mission statement often fills that role in a customer-focused organization.
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