Have you ever seen a football team—a successful football team—that didn’t know where the end zone was? That was made up of skilled players who had no idea what their roles were in reaching the goal? Of course not. But every day, people show up to work with no idea what the company’s goals look like or how their work contributes to reaching them—and they are expected to be successful.
If your team is suffering from a lack of a shared purpose, it’s because you, as their leader, have not restated your company’s goal, vision and mission enough. Andy Stanley, a noted pastor who leads a church with thousands of members, says you should recast your vision every 21 days. When a company is growing and adding people, recasting the vision is even more important. It might be repetitive to the old-timers, but it’s brand-new to a lot of people.
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Dave goes over the mission statement and goals of his company every few months as part of a weekly staff meeting. He asks the individuals who have been with the company less than a year to stand, which visually illustrates to the veteran team members why it is important to restate the mission early and often.
You can find new and creative ways to share your mission statement, but always remember there is a goal. There has to be a goal. Otherwise, how can your people know where they are headed or how much progress they are making?
What do you make and/or sell? What are your core values? Good leaders restate these values over and over.
Dave's company doesn't pursue ideas that don't fall within the company's mission, even if they have the potential to make money. They aren't opportunities; they are distractions.
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Ramsey Solutions