Your company Gan be better rrr

ISSION sratements get a lot of lip service, but very few people have a clear idea of just what they do.

William H. Blades, William Blades & As sociates, Tempe, Az., describes themission statement as a "living, breathing document."

Mission stat€ments cirn be used to reenergize a business and develop a cofporate cultue, he maintains.

They can open the path to training and coaching employees to serve as partners with clients and customers.

Including aims such as "will continuously delight our clients" can help a company to focus on customers. Value-added services that help customers grow their businesses can be developed using a mission statement.

Blades describes corporate culture as "everyone going in the same direction with a united mission for every single client. No holdouts ... 1007o of the group must buy in. If an individual elects not to, the only thing worse than employee turnover is none when there should be."

The first step when a company seeks Blades' help to develop a mission statement is taking the executive gfoup on a retreat to verbalize what they feel the organization shnds for and, more importantly, what it will stand for in the future. He cautions this is no simple process, but recornmends that it be accomplished quickly.

Standard items that he includes in each mission statement arc:

What we are committed to and stand for with regards to our workforce and our clients.

Phrases or sentences stating the company's conviction in regards to shareholders, vendors and the community.

When the statement is completed" Blades meets with middle management to discuss it. He advises them that the executive group has gran0ed them freedom to modify the statement. Middle management rarely changes one word, he notes, but it is concerned with whether or not top executives will live by the statement.

Tbe mission statement when readv to be made public is framed with i large copy hung in the lobby and smaller versions placed throughout the workplace. Ideally, it is summarized on company litera[rre and business cards.

What lf?

mance, management can provide high-quality one-on-one evaluations and coaching to give employees mme control over future income and self improvemenL

An organization chart shows staff functions, titles, responsibility and accountability. Position descriptions spell out what is expected from each person, pointing them toward major responsibilities and eliminating misunderstandings.

Blades recommends updating posi-

Story at a Glance

How to get everyone in your organization doing his best for every single customer tips on developing a mission statement, establishing a commitment to company and its customers, developing a corporate culture, educating employees.

Sales re flat...

Margins are slipping...

Turnover is higb (or maybe too low)... Conflicts are increasing. ..

Communications are deteriorating...

Complaints are increasing...

The ship feels mdderless...

Faces are long with smiles rare...

Customers are not praising you...

You lnow something is wrong, but not what...

You feel more like a boss than a servant.

...Your group may need re-energizing. Everyone in the mganization can be the best at wbat they do. Every executive can get better. Every sales person can improve.

A mission stateurent does not function alone, Blades points out. Using it with an uganizational chat, position descriptions and standards of perfor- tion descriptions annually, adding functions considered weaknesses to "sffetch" an individual. Standards of performance measure each item on the position description and can be used to detennine raises or bonuses. A review lets a person not pulling his weight know help is available. What he must do to ensure tenufe can be spelled out clearly with a deadline set for improvement. Using the tools discusseq management can be fair, finn and specific about expectations, Blades says.

With a mission statement in place, everyone lnows wbat the organization stfrrds for, what is expected from them and what method management uses to measure performance. Once sales, management and support groups are receiving targeted training and education, it is time for customized fine tuning to ensure everyone participates in the culture drive. Unless the workforce feels the top group is comnritted, the process will fail, Blades wams.

However, all the work is worthwhile, he adds. "Your people and your clients will thank you for your commitnent to a culure calling for greahess ftom everyone."

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