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n Why should we approach them first?
n Why are we likely, having come to them, to want to stay with them?
n What challenges them to become and remain the best of the best at

what they do?
n What drives their people to constantly develop and hone their

capabilities?
n How do they treat their employees, clients, suppliers, strategic

allies and the societies in which they operate?
n What are the key values that drive decision-making in their

business?
n If I had a problem and an unsupervised employee of this

organization was helping me, what values, beliefs and attitudes
would drive their decision-making, advice and actions?

Summary

I Only if your mission statement gives credible and reasonably
I comprehensive answers to the above questions, does it serve its
I key purpose of being a useful, and frequently used tool.
I If it is not a frequently used tool it is merely an expensive piece
I of decoration.

In summary the purpose of any mission statement is to:

n Tell your customers, clients, patients (anyone who uses your
products or services), those needs and desires of theirs that you
exist to satisfy.

n Indicate what makes you different and why the most worthwhile
customers, the best employees and the most exciting strategic
allies should beat a path to your door.

n Indicate what challenges you and all your people to become and
remain the best in the business.

n Tell all stakeholders how you intend to treat them.
n Clarify the key, essential values to the degree that any person

working on their own initiative is able consistently to make
decisions coherent with, and supportive of the mission.

If you are either in the throes of redesigning or of “re-visiting” your
mission (the mission is not for all time, it is a flexible goal that should be
subject to constant improvement), I strongly suggest that you put yourself,
in turn, in the position of each and every category of stakeholder and ask
the above questions on their behalf. If the mission statement that you end
up with provides the answers that you wish it to and if those answers are
credible from your new standpoint as a stakeholder you have a tool. Of

The big picture 15