[usakos]

To avoid more specificity in the mission statement and to embrace everything else you can offer them without being too direct, I'll probably structure it more like this;

"Our mission is to provide superior logistical and managerial support to all non-profits in all of their activities, anywhere."

[BusinessAdviser]

Originally Posted by usakos

when you see and experiment with our service, then you will know how we do it. a mission statement doesn't have to be direct and doesn't have to be completely specific on what the company does. It's a simple gesture of structured words that embody, embrace and define the goal of the business as a whole, both for employees, shareholders, partners and customers. Just take some time and read some large companies mission statements.

I disagree that you should just look at some large companies' mission statements.

I also disagree with the mission statements you've proposed that end "...for anyone, anywhere" and "...in all of their activities, anywhere."

Instead, I think Jack Welch (former CEO of General Electric, "manager of the century" (Fortune), "one of the greatest innovators of the past 75 years" (Businessweek), and "the #1 choice, from history or today, to join a company board" (Financial Times 2004 Survey)) offers great advice.

"In my experience, an effective mission statement basically answers one question: How do we intend to win in this business?
...
It requires companies to make choices about people, investments, and other resources, and it prevents them from falling into the common mission trap of asserting they will be all things to all people at all times. The question forces companies to delineate their strengths and weaknesses in order to assess where they can profitably play in the competitive landscape.
...
At the end of the day, effective mission statements balance the possible and the impossible. They give people a clear sense of the direction to profitability and the inspiration to feel they are part of something big and important.

Take our mission at GE as an example. From 1981 through 1995, we said we were going to be 'the most competitive enterprise in the world' by being No. 1 or No. 2 in every market - fixing, selling, or closing every underperforming business that couldn't get there. There could be no doubt about what this mission meant or entailed. It was specific and descriptive, with nothing abstract going on. And it was aspirational, too, in its global ambition."

Hope this helps, everyone.

[rogercbryan]

Originally Posted by usakos

To avoid more specificity in the mission statement and to embrace everything else you can offer them without being too direct, I'll probably structure it more like this;

"Our mission is to provide superior logistical and managerial support to all non-profits in all of their activities, anywhere."

But I do not provide management and logistical support in all their activites. We are only working in the fund raising aspect of our industry.

I put superior in bold becuase I wonder what everyone thinks about this. I've always tried to avoid these types of words. They seem relative to individual opinions and not fact. Now that may just be me.... opinions?

[BusinessAdviser]

I don't think there's anything wrong with superior. It is concrete. It says, in other words, we provide better logistical and managerial support than any other providers. The highest quality. I like it. I just think it went down hill with the "...in all of their activities, anywhere." Bad.

Also, don't be afraid to go with a longer mission statement. Check out mine earlier in this thread. Length is much less important than doing it right.

[BusinessAdviser]

Originally Posted by usakos

The above mission statement is not our actual mission statement. I just wanted to see who would actually bite.

Why?

Originally Posted by usakos

The mission statement should be short enough to fit on the back of a business card.

Also why?

I'm not being critical, I'm curious.

[BusinessAdviser]

Originally Posted by usakos

a mission statement doesn't have to be direct and doesn't have to be completely specific on what the company does.

I'm going to fall into Jack Welch's camp and disagree. How can it be of value and really guide a company with any kind of authority if it's not?

[BusinessAdviser]

This is not to say that anyone or any mission is any better than anyone else or any other mission.

I just want to try to get other members' thoughts as to what makes an effective mission statement.

Take two rather opposite missions.

1. "To consistently create superior values and unique infrastructures for anyone, anywhere."

or

2. "ABC Co. will be the number one retailer of consumer goods to college students in the United States. By offering the widest range of products for students at competitive prices and providing a fresh, hip, yet professional shopping experience, ABC Co. will exceed all other retailers in the college-student market in both sales and profits."

Asking the very broad question, which would you, as a stakeholder in a company, rather see as the company's mission? And much more importantly, WHY?

[usakos]

Disclosure: the following statement is not intended to downgrade the integrity of the mentioned individual.

Dude, jmeng2, your analysis is weird and different. there's a difference between hands-on experience and in class-lectured experience. If you only have one of them, then you lack the other, but when you combine both, then you get more, and yours seems more the latter.

So, having said that; try to analyze the Microsoft's mission statement as follows;

"Our mission and values are to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential."

1. How does it directly define in the ways it helps people and businesses?

2. How and in what ways it helps them realize their full potential?

3. What full potential?

Also, ask Guy Kawasaki, or some other experienced executives, and they will tell you what a good mission statement is supposed to be, just as I have described far above.

Also, watch this video at Guy Kawasaki "The Art of the Start" @ TiECon 2006, fast forward to 6:20 on the video, and listen to Guy Kawasaki defines a mission statement and his recommendation on what to do to get a good mission statement.

[usakos]

Originally Posted by jmenq2

This is not to say that anyone or any mission is any better than anyone else or any other mission.

I just want to try to get other members' thoughts as to what makes an effective mission statement.

Take two rather opposite missions.

1. "To consistently create superior values and unique infrastructures for anyone, anywhere."

or

2. "ABC Co. will be the number one retailer of consumer goods to college students in the United States. By offering the widest range of products for students at competitive prices and providing a fresh, hip, yet professional shopping experience, ABC Co. will exceed all other retailers in the college-student market in both sales and profits."

Asking the very broad question, which would you, as a stakeholder in a company, rather see as the company's mission? And much more importantly, WHY?

Your #2 is not a "mission statement" but a "vision statement".

In your company, you should have three statements plus a mantra.

1. mission statement
2. vision statement (which is your #2)
3. And values statement
4. description or profile

a mission statement - should be short and simple, which defines why your business exist, and that's for all your employees, customers, shareholders, partners, etc.

vision statement - defines what you hope to do and become, targeting same audience as in the mission statement, and this one can be longer.

values statement - that defines itself and this one can be even longer.

mantra statement - short and even simpler for employees only.

description / profile - this is what describes your company in detail, not your mission statement.

products - describes your products

etc.

each one serves as its own segment.

If your mission statement can't fit on the back of your business card, then you need to go back to the drawing board and come up with a short and tastefully mission statement.

[BusinessAdviser]

Originally Posted by usakos

Disclosure: the following statement is not intended to downgrade the integrity of the mentioned individual.

Dude, jmeng2, your analysis is weird and different. there's a difference between hands-on experience and in class-lectured experience. If you only have one of them, then you lack the other, but when you combine both, then you get more, and yours seems more the latter.

So, having said that; try to analyze the Microsoft's mission statement as follows;

"Our mission and values are to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential."

1. How does it directly define in the ways it helps people and businesses?

2. How and in what ways it helps them realize their full potential?

3. What full potential?

Also, ask Guy Kawasaki, or some other experienced executives, and they will tell you what a good mission statement is supposed to be, just as I have described far above.

Also, watch this video at Guy Kawasaki "The Art of the Start" @ TiECon 2006, fast forward to 6:20 on the video, and listen to Guy Kawasaki defines a mission statement and his recommendation on what to do to get a good mission statement.

For starters, trying to knock me because I've had more education than yourself is rather ignorant considering I do have the "hands-on" experience to which you refer. On top of that, if you look back at the message, you'll see that it was Jack Welch's advice and analysis, not mine.

Now to stop the bitchfest and get to the issue at hand (which I would prefer we do from now on) -

I'll begin by asking how useful Microsoft's mission statement is. I don't think that it's useful at all. Maybe I'm missing something though.

What do you think of Jack Welch's thoughts on it?