Are You Living Your Mission Statement?
Are You Living Your Mission Statement?
Adding value through strategic thinking to people’s lives daily” – Damien O’Farrell
Today’s mission statements are full of all kinds of buzzwords and promises, such as total integrity, commitment to customer service and staff, focus on detail, unmatched dedication to quality, and so on. My question is: how many companies or individuals are really living up to all this hype and hullaballoo?
Let’s start with a few basics that really need to be at the core of any mission statement:
Your Word: Fortunately, my parents raised me to believe that if I said I would do something, I had to do it. There were no excuses; I had to follow through on what I had promised to do. In many cases, this seems to have fallen by the wayside in business; representatives promise to call back, but they don’t. Many salespeople promise to follow up after a call or meeting, and incredibly, they don’t. What’s even more incredible is that they wonder why their sales are low or nonexistent. If you give your word to do something, unless you are lying in a hospital bed, you must do it—no excuses! Otherwise, your reputation as a flake will quickly spread, and you really don’t want this.
Can I hear a thank you? Please! I wish I had a dime for every time I sent information to someone and they couldn’t even be bothered to say thank you. Again, I was raised to say thank you when someone did something for me; I don’t believe that this will ever go out of style, as it is simply common courtesy to recognize when someone has taken the time to do something for you. Again, many people, after an interview, meeting, or other encounter, never take a moment to thank the other person for their time. I personally think it makes daily interaction far more pleasant, and it is always appreciated.
Integrity: Everyone is talking about integrity today and incorporating this word into their mission statements and company policies. In my opinion, integrity means constantly acting from your highest point of good in your daily relationships with others. Recently, I had an experience with a well-known brand that is constantly talking about their integrity and dedication to customer service, yet when I had an issue, they fell very short of this “integrity” in helping me resolve the issue I had. It is so easy to talk the talk and so hard to walk the walk; for this reason, many people and companies fall short when it comes to living up to their claims of integrity. For me, having integrity also means living to your highest values even when no one is holding you to them; you have simply decided that this is the only way to live for you and that this is the example you want to set every day.
Dedication: Again, everyone is talking about their dedication to something—it can be their product or service, staff, or after-sales care. However, the fact of the matter is, if you are not living this daily, you are not really dedicated; you must be dedicated to being dedicated! Like anything worthwhile, being dedicated to something takes work. You need to review regularly what errors and mistakes are teaching you and how you can improve.
Honesty: Being honest with yourself and those around you will take you far. I’ve seen people achieve success through dishonest means, but they usually crash and burn eventually as their reputation for being con artists starts to spread. Being honest does not mean being disingenuous; you were given a brain for a reason, so use it. If you feel something or someone is off, you are probably right, so it is best to walk away before it ends up costing you dearly. Being honest daily will eventually pay great dividends, as people will know that they can rely on you and that their dealings with you are always coming from a place of total honesty and transparency.
Respect: One would think that this should be a given, but unfortunately it is not. Learning to be respectful of everyone that you meet and work with is also a vital part of any mission statement or company policy. Of course, we are not going to like everyone that we meet, but that does not mean we need to be any less respectful towards these people. When dealing with rude, aggressive, and generally unpleasant people, it is best to rise above their toxic behavior and not let it penetrate your consciousness. Be respectful, but most of all, be respectful to yourself. Learn to set boundaries with such people and neutralize them as soon as possible by staying calm and collected.
Reviewing your company or personal mission statement (yes, you too are a brand) on a regular basis to see if you are truly living it can be very helpful. Mission statements that are based on nothing will soon come to the surface, and the people that you deal with will quickly realize that you are nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Don’t let this happen, as undoing a negative or tarnished reputation can be very challenging. Therefore, make sure that you are living up to the highest standards daily so that people will look up to you with respect and admiration.
