Definition...3 parts...Importance...Real life examples...

Click here to view and print: The Mission Statement Notes and Practice Activity Handout

MISSION STATEMENT DEFINITION:

• A strategic vision
• An explanation - why you exist and what you hope to achieve in the future
• A brief paragraph that is free of jargon and slang.

3 PARTS OF A MISSION STATEMENT:

1. purpose statement
• What do you hope to accomplish?
• A purpose statement indicates a change in status, such as increase, decrease, prevent, or eliminate, etc.
• Example: "to gain experience and knowledge in recreation management"
2. business statement
• What activities will you choose in order to pursue your purpose statement?
• Example: " save money, go to college, volunteer at the community centre, etc."

Business statements often link a purpose statement with the words "by" or "through." For example: "To gain experience in recreation management by volunteering at the community centre and enrolling in outdoor recreation courses at the college."

3. values statement
• What are your beliefs in life?
• Example: "respect, freedom, innovation, honesty, integrity, etc."

THE IMPORTANCE OF A MISSION STATEMENT:

• A mission statement inspires commitment, innovation, motivation and courage
• A mission statement motivates those who are connected to the organization or individual.
• Remember Jerry Maguire? His mission statement inspired his employee (Dorothy, the accountant) as well as his clients to do business with him and work hard at what they do.

REAL LIFE EXAMPLES OF MISSION STATEMENTS:(Can you identify the 3 parts?)

• The YMCA of San Francisco, based in Judeo-Christian heritage, seeks to enhance the lives of all people through programs designed to develop spirit, mind and body.

  The purpose: enhance the lives of all people
  The business: providing programs designed to develop spirit, mind and body
  The values: Judeo-Christian heritage

• At the Developmental Studies Center we develop, evaluate, and disseminate programs that foster children's ethical, social, and intellectual development. While nurturing children's capacity to think skillfully and critically, we also strive to deepen children's commitment to prosocial values such as kindness, helpfulness, personal responsibility, and respect for others - qualities we believe are essential to leading humane and productive lives in a democratic society.

  The purpose: foster children’s ethical, social, and intellectual development
  The business: develop, evaluate, and disseminate programs
  The values: kindness, helpfulness, personal responsibility, and respect for others are essential qualities to leading humane and productive lives

• The mission of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America is to make a positive difference in the lives of children and youth, primarily through a professionally-supported, one-to-one relationship with a caring adult, and to assist them in achieving their highest potential as they grow to become confident, competent, and caring individuals, by providing committed volunteers, national leadership and standards of excellence.

  The purpose: to make a positive difference in the lives of children and youth so that they'll achieve their highest potential
  The business: providing and supporting committed volunteers who have one-to-one relationships with children and youth
  The values: individuals who are confident, competent, and caring; leadership and standards of excellence

Planet 3000 is committed to healing the earth. Using research into natural ecosystems, Planet 3000 develops policy recommendations and pilot projects that apply these underlying principles to human ecosystems that are in harmony with other life on the planet. By bringing the human social order into balance with ecological principles, diversity of all living things can be sustained and the evolutionary process that has guided and nurtured life on this planet for millions of years can continue unabated.

The purpose: to "heal" the planet
The business: advocacy, research, and demonstration projects
The values: ecological principles; protecting balance, diversity, the evolutionary process, and harmony with life on the planet

Click here to review the personal mission statement project.

Resources:
http://management.about.com/smallbusiness/management/library/howto/ht_stmt.htm
http://www.ehow.com/eHow/eHow/0,1053,7485,00.html
http://www.tgci.com/publications/98fall/MissionStatement.html
http://www.nonprofits.org/npofaq/03/21.html