What Is A Mission Statement?

A company’s mission statement is mainly a short statement that explains the reason why it was founded, either in one sentence or a short paragraph. A mission is not simply a description of an organization by an external party, but an expression, made by its leaders, of their desires and intent for the organization.

The purpose of a mission statement is to communicate the organisation’s purpose and direction to its employees, customers, vendors, and other stakeholders. A mission statement also creates a sense of identity for its employees. Organizations normally do not change their mission statements over time, since they define their continuous, ongoing purpose and focus.

While you may be able to write a solid mission statement, you should also be prepared to change it from time to time. You should revise it to reflect changing goals and philosophies. A good idea is to make a big deal out of it. Listed below are examples of great mission statements. And don’t be afraid to try something new. There are many ways to do that! You can also get your employees involved by writing your own mission statement.

One way to get started on writing a mission statement is to brainstorm ideas with your team. Ask yourselves what you would want to accomplish in a year. What do you want to accomplish, and how will you do it? This will help you narrow your focus and develop an effective mission statement. You can also ask yourself what kind of people you would like to serve. After you have brainstormed a list of potential customers, start writing your mission statement.

A mission statement should be as specific as possible. It must clearly define what you do and who you serve. Without a clear mission, you will find it difficult to engage and motivate your team. However, a clear mission will drive everyone to work together towards a common goal. That’s why it’s so important to make a mission statement. If you’re not clear about what your organization’s purpose is, then you may be a good candidate to hire an outside consultant.

Drafting a Mission Statement

While it may be difficult to narrow down the focus of your parent company in a single statement, here are just a few of the tips to assist you write a good mission statement. 

First, define what your company is. This may be an excellent which helps you offer your products to consumers, or a full-service business that delivers a service to its customers.

Next, describe how your company differentiates itself from your competitors. Instead of being technical—that’s not the point here—think of those things that make your business unique. Maybe you value quality or customer service, or getting people involved in your business, or you foster creativity and innovation in what you do. Think about what your company stands for and put that in the mission statement next.

Finally, include the reason for your endeavors in your mission statement. This is important. It helps you stand out as an organization, highlighting what sets you apart from others in your industry. Remember to keep the mission of the statement short and succinct.

The Importance of a Mission Statement for Your Business

A mission statement is the most important document in any business. It sets out the values that the company upholds, and the way that it will behave. In this article, we’ll look at a few examples and explain how they apply to your own organization. For example, Southwest Airlines has a mission to “differencing the airline experience through the culture of our people and company spirit.” In addition, Urban Outfitters’ mission is “encouraging individuals to achieve more through their work,” which gives nods to the history of the company, which started small and focused on customer service and fashion.

A mission statement should define your company’s core business, and describe its values. You should include your mission statement in your advertising, on your website, and in other communications with your target audience. Listed below are some examples of the most successful mission statements. Read them and see if they resonate with your employees. If your company is new to the world of business, then your mission statement is the first step. Make sure to include it in all marketing material.

A mission statement helps employees understand the impact of their work. According to a 2018 study, employees who have a sense of purpose show better financial performance than those with no purpose. Their work is more meaningful to them, and they will be more productive if they can connect the dots between their work and their overall purpose. A mission statement can make your employees feel more engaged in your organization. It can even inspire them to work harder. In turn, this will benefit the bottom line.

Examples of mission statements of some global companies;

Tesla Mission Statement – “To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.”

Tiktok Mission Statement – Inspire creativity and bring joy

Walmart Mission Statement – “We save people money so they can live better.”

Coca Cola Mission Statement – “To refresh the world…To inspire moments of optimism and happiness…To create value and make a difference.”

TED Mission Statement – “Spread ideas.”

Toyota Mission Statement – “To attract and attain customers with high-valued products and services and the most satisfying ownership experience in America.”

LinkedIn Mission Statement – “To connect the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.”

PayPal Mission Statement – “To build the web’s most convenient, secure, cost-effective payment solution.”

Amazon Mission Statement – “To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices.”

Asana Mission Statement – “To help humanity thrive by enabling all teams to work together effortlessly.”

Nike Mission Statement – “Bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.**If you have a body, you are an athlete.”

  JetBlue Mission Statement – “To inspire humanity — both in the air and on the ground.”

Nordstrom Mission Statement – “To give customers the most compelling shopping experience possible.”

  American Express Mission Statement – “We work hard every day to make American Express the world’s most respected service brand.”

 Patagonia Mission Statement – “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”

Microsoft Mission Statement – To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.

Starbucks Mission Statement – Inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time.

Pinterest Mission Statement – Bring everyone the inspiration to create a life they love.

Spotify Mission Statement – To unlock the potential of human creativity — by giving a million creative artists the opportunity to live off their art and billions of fans the opportunity to enjoy and be inspired by it.

Google Mission Statement – Organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.

Life is Good Mission Statement : To spread the power of optimism.

Sweetgreen Mission Statement : To inspire healthier communities by connecting people to real food.

Warby Parker Mission Statement : To offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.

Honest Tea Mission Statement : To create and promote great-tasting, healthy, organic beverages.

  Philips Mission Statement –  “Improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation.”

Adobe Mission Statement – “To move the web forward and give web designers and developers the best tools and services in the world.”

Caterpilla Mission Statement – “To enable economic growth through infrastructure and energy development, and to provide solutions that support communities and protect the planet.”

  P&G Mission Statement – “We will provide branded products and services of superior quality and value that improve the lives of the world’s consumers.”

Mission Statements vs. Vision Statements

The mission statement for a company differs from its vision statement. While the mission statement for the establishment remains unchanged for the most part and represents who the company is or wants to be for its entire lifespan, the vision statement is subject to change.

The subsequent description describes precisely what the company requires to complete to remain in its present form.

As a matter of principle, the goals held by a company are its identity, and then its vision is the means by which it plans to successfully accomplish those goals.

In conclusion, mission statements require planning. This takes time and effort for those who are responsible for creating the mission statement.

If the mission statement is not achieved, then the process of creating the mission statement could be seen as a waste of time for all of the people involved. A lot of thought and time can be spent in designing a good mission statement, and to have all of that time wasted is not what businesses can afford. The wasted time could have been spent on much more important tasks within the organisation.