Your Mission Statement: Guiding Light or Just Wall Art?

Be warned! Your lofty service ideals, high-sounding customer policies and catchy taglines may not be worth the paper they're printed on...

Far be it from me to decry the soul-searching and the angst that often go into creating a corporate mission statement. Or is it a vision statement?

Which is which? I honestly can't say I know the difference—nor do I really care, because too many of them are an exercise in futility.

I've just been surfing the Internet, looking at various sites that purport to explain how to create these statements, and I also looked at real-life examples.

Forgive me if I sound a little cynical on the subject, but I have just seen far too many sets of beautiful sounding words that seem to have little or no effect on the way an organization conducts its business.

The words...and the reality

The main problem is a disconnect between the words and the reality.

A major Canadian communication company (which shall remain nameless, although many will recognize it) is a case in point. While its website doesn't provide an actual mission statement, it's full of lofty ideals about listening and responding to customers, keeping employees informed, and open and transparent communication with shareholders. 

I have never worked for this company, nor have I invested in it. I am, however, a long-suffering client, and from that experience I can state categorically that those serving clients do not behave in accordance with the company's stated ideals. 

Long, long waits for telephone contact are the norm. Finding anything on their website requires highly developed detective skills! No matter what I want, finding the right person is always a major challenge and the slightest request has a way of turning into a production of major proportions.

Fun? Who's kidding?

Many years ago, I immigrated to Canada from Scotland, sailing on the last crossing of the year on a ship of the Cunard Line. Cunard's website tells me the company tagline is now "The most famous ocean liners in the world," which I suppose is difficult to contest.

However, back then the message was "Getting there is half the fun."

But the time of the year - gales in the Atlantic and seasickness among 90% of the passengers - ensured that it was no fun at all. Beyond the company's control, perhaps, but nonetheless, the slogan was the source of much sarcastic humour.

The Toronto Transit Commission's tagline is "The Better Way." Rush hour gridlock or any type of breakdown inevitably causes passengers to ruefully quote this to each other with a shake of the head, a snarl or ribald laughter - depending on the length of the delay.

Breach of contract

Mission statements, taglines, advertising slogans --- all are public expressions of what your company is all about.

They rightly create expectations on how people will be dealt with, and if the reality of the experience is different, the result is frustration, lost credibility and even lost business. The difference between the words and the actions constitute a breach of The Communication Contract™.

A company may spend a great deal of time, money and effort in crafting a mission statement. However, if it is to truly serve the company, all employees must buy into its spirit, and commit to serve internal and external clients in accordance with that spirit.

And it's up to management to encourage and develop that commitment through communication and nurture.

An effective mission statement can help determine business decisions and guide a company to greatness. But if no efforts are made to live the mission, it's just expensive wall art.