Why Have A Mission And Vision?
The thing I find the most challenging for small business owners is keeping everyone on the same page and keeping everyone moving in the same direction.
It's okay, if you're a solo-preneur not to have a clear vision and mission because you are able to deliver the same product every time and motivate yourself to show up to work because its your business… But when you get to that next level of having four or five and up number of staff members, you need to be able to have a reference point, something that everybody can come together. One piece of common ground that unites them. And that's what the vision and mission is.
Not only does it unite the team, but having a really clear mission and vision in your business helps to emotionally engage your team. It's having a purpose that is bigger than yourself, it's having momentum towards a greater mission that other people can get on board with.
What I also find is that the quality of your team depends on the quality of your mission and your vision. I'm gonna say that, again, because it's pretty important. The quality of your team depends on the quality of your mission and your vision. And the more you can emotionally engage your team with a mission that they really want to be part of the higher quality people you will be able to find. And not only that, nowadays, it's a commercial reality that people buy based on their values. And if you have a really clear mission that is in line with someone's values, you're gonna get a loyal customer, you're gonna get somebody who wants to buy from only you, because they see the impact that you're creating. And they know that you are setting yourself apart from the market, because you have a really clear mission. It is the ultimate business experience, when you're able to clearly articulate the mission that you're there to achieve. And not only is your team on board, but you create raving fans of customers who wouldn't go anywhere else!
The other thing I think it's really important is when you've got those clear outcomes when everybody's on the same page for the mission and vision, you're able to create great systems. I know it's a struggle, but systems are the lifeblood of any business. And when you've got clarity around what you're trying to achieve, and you've just got to work backwards from there.
The mission and the vision is setting you up for success, and the systems are maintaining the progress towards the outcome. I really can't express how important this message is because so many companies overlook the power of it.
The question I get a lot is “What if the mission and vision changes? What if the business isn't growing in that direction any more? What if people don't resonate with it?
There's a lot of what ifs. And I get that. it's scary. Because its putting your peg in the sand to say this is what we are about, is a bold claim.
And a lot of businesses start out just to make money. And that's fair enough. But as you evolve, as you grow, as you grow your team, there has to be a more profound reason for you to keep showing up in your business, rather than just to create profit.
Talking about the vision and mission also really transforms how people do business. Don’t just leave the piece of paper in a drawer somewhere, but you don't bring it to life. That's a really common trap that people fall into. And it makes it not even worth it. Because it's you as the business owner, bringing this mission and vision to life, that is going to make the difference and create the culture.
There's a beautiful metaphor that I love to go by. It talks about how when you plant bamboo, when you put some bamboo shoots in the ground, they stay underground for 30 years. But the roots are growing, they're going deeper into the earth. And then when they start to pop above the surface, 30 years later, they are so well established that the bamboo goes wild. And in 30 days, the bamboo can grow up to 60 meters. And I love this because it really represents the way a mission works. When you start your small business, it's just you and the tiny little team. And you have this bold claim, we're going to put the first man on the on the moon, you know, that was somebody's mission once upon a time. And that just seems so far away. That seems so unachievable. And it's just like the bamboo, few show up, building that culture, keeping the mission alive, getting people on board that also love the mission, you are laying those roots, those foundations into your business community and into the world. And then slowly as the momentum grows, and the momentum grows, you will pick up speed.
There'll be a tipping point in your business, when you'll start to notice that you really are starting to achieve the mission. And that is the point of exponential growth. That is when the bamboo comes up from out of the ground, and starts growing super fast. Because your mission is so strong, and there's so many people on board that it can't be ignored. That it becomes its own ecosystem that you create a following you have a tribe of really loyal customers, you've got a team that shows up and they wouldn't work anywhere else. That is a business of impact. And that is why your mission and your vision matters so much.
The mission is the how. And it could take a little while for you to establish that and that's okay. But I would recommend writing something down on paper and just starting there, starting with what you've got, and it will continue to evolve.
The vision of the business is the why. Why did you start this business in the first place? And if you unpack it a little bit like what is really important to you? What will the vision give you if you achieve it? Do some digging within yourself to ask yourself these vital questions and write them all down on a brainstorm them with your team.
This is the foundation of leadership. This is knowing who you are, what you're about, and what is the culture that you want to create. And it all starts with the mission the vision.
For more information check out the podcast all about the Mission and Vison