How to write an effective Mission Statement...Start by not writing one...

In decades past, the "Mission Statement" was the new black. Don't believe me? Go to the website of almost any large organization and you will find a mission statement somewhere. I say somewhere because most have been relegated to second or third-level webpage, like legal disclaimers, necessary but not the "sizzle." We know we're supposed to have them, we learned that in business school, but why have they lost their luster? Here are some reasons:

1. Everybody has one. This sounds trite, but most organizations, especially in the digital age, like to be thought of as innovative and creative. The mission statement is ubiquitous, found everywhere from churches to preschools to sports teams.
2. Writing a mission statement has become ministerial (or worse yet, created by committee). As stated above, the mission statement has become something we feel compelled to have, but not something we really understand. So we get a group together of current managers (those willing to be on another committee), and we draft something we can all agree with and accept, which leads to the biggest problem...
3. They are far too vague. Most mission statements are so general, so grandios, that they could be applied to almost any company. Look at GM's or Walmart's. These statements could describe every business and therefor tell us little about any business.
4. Finally, some mission statements are more like mission "short-stories." A primary purpose of a mission statement is to help translate the vision of management throughout the organization. It should provide practical help in decision-making, like a map leading people to their destination. Unfortunately, many are so long that employees have no hope of committing these ideas to memory for future use. Look at Johnson and Johnson's "Credo."

So if you're not going to draft a Mission Statement, or at least realize by now what a poor one looks like, what do you do? My suggestion, a "Core Values" list. Even though most of the "self-speak" drafted by corporate management teams are really just amorphous, ambiguous tomes, they don't have to be. In fact, they shouldn't be. Drafting a Core Values list has many advantages:

1. We don't care if everybody has one, they are useful and that's the point.
2. Like most hubpages, Core Values lists can be short and sweet, bulleted lists easily assimilated by supervisors and employees. This means that the people in your organization that benefit from these lists are actually more likely to do just that.
3. Core Values lists are made up of action statements. This is a biggie. Core Values lists can actually be drafted to help others make decisions inline with management's vision. In a word, they're useful.
4. Core Values lists can be amended. If something we've written in the past hasn't translated into an actionable directive, we can scrap that bullet and redraft. No need to rewrite our entire "Credo."
5. Core Values lists are specific. We don't need to be flowery and fluffy with these lists. They are meant to be efficient and specific, each bullet centered on one or two values at most.
6. Core Values lists create culture. Every organization has a culture, but it may not always be the one that gets promoted in corporate literature. Core Values lists help organizations create the culture they really want, and culture is the new black.

So now you know what to do, it's time to start writing. If you're stuck and not sure where to start, take a look at this excellent example from Zappos. This is a great example of a Core Values list, one that Zappos uses even in their hiring process. Core Values lists are meant to be used, not just hung on a wall in a nice frame behind the receptionist's desk. If you already have a Mission Statement, that might be an ok place to begin when drafting your new list. In any case, ask yourself a few questions:

1. What values are important to your leadership?
2. What characteristics would the ideal employee have?
3. What is the purpose of your organization's existence?
4. If an employee had to make a decision on their own, what should be the guiding principle for your organization?
5. What culture do you want to create?

Remember, keep them short and specific. Use action verbs and stay away from overly broad statements that sound good but are superfluous at best. Oh yes, and be creative. Drafting a Core Values list shouldn't be an attempt to restrict your employee's behavior, but a tool that allows them to be creative, serving your customers and executing the organization's vision. Good luck, and feel free to share some here with other readers.