Make Your Mission Statement With These 3 Questions

    The best part of a family mission statement is it is completely yours, something unique to your family.  There is no right or wrong answer to making your mission statement.  Just like a good road trip, there are many different ways to get to your destination.  The most important thing is that your family knows where it is going.  This is the clarity that a mission statement brings to your family.  It tells everyone in the family what we stand for and what we are trying to do.

    Take a look some mission statements from some businesses I am sure most of us use quite a bit.

 

Chevron

At the heart of The Chevron Way is our Vision to be the global energy company most admired for its people, partnership, and performance.

 

Dole Food Company

Dole Food Company, Inc. is committed to supplying the consumer and our customers with the finest, high-quality products and to leading the industry in nutrition research and education. Dole supports these goals with a corporate philosophy of adhering to the highest ethical conduct in all its business dealings, treatment of its employees, and social and environmental policies.

 

Mattel Inc.

Mattel makes a difference in the global community by effectively serving children in need . Partnering with charitable organizations dedicated to directly serving children, Mattel creates joy through the Mattel Children’s Foundation, product donations, grant making and the work of employee volunteers. We also enrich the lives of Mattel employees by identifying diverse volunteer opportunities and supporting their personal contributions through the matching gifts program.

 

    As you get with your family and come up with your own mission statement this can be done a number of different ways.  Take the time to talk with others about what is important to them .  If your children are old enough to be a part of this, have a family meeting where they can have their input.  If you want to get them bought into your family mission it is important they have their say.  Beforehand talk with your spouse or the other leaders of your family so you know going in what is important to them.  As you prepare and have these conversations around your family mission here are 3 questions you can ask.

 

In 30 years what do we want our family to be?

   Dr. Stephen Covey explains it best in his 7 habits book when he tells us, to begin with the end in mind.  What are we trying to accomplish with our family?  What do we want to be known for?  As you look into the future where do you see your family going?  Then as you envision what you want your family to be you can start to work backward.  What are the key points you need to do to get your family to that destination?

 

What do we want to stand for?

    When I think of standing for something I think of the values that we hold dear.  So as you think what your family stands for, think of the values that are important to your family.  These values are things that are going to hold true no matter the situation.  They are going to be the key to getting your family to where they are going.  I like to think of these as the daily steps.  As we define where we want to be in 30 years we have the vision of where we are going.  Our values are those simple things that we can do on a daily basis that will get us there.

 

What do you want your family culture to be?

    Businesses may think of this as the work environment.  The work environment is going to determine how work gets done.  Do you want your business to focus on numbers, creativity, or maybe the customer?  In our family we wanted our children to love one another and for them to know that we will always love them.  We wanted the to feel they could come to us whenever they needed someone and no matter what we would love them.  So we incorporated this into our mission statement through our values.   Culture is one of the most important drivers of behavior in your home.  So take the time to help define that culture through your mission.

 

    One of the best parts of your mission statement is that it is alive.  This means once you make your mission don’t feel that it is set in stone.  As you put it together the first time don’t feel like once it is done you cannot make changes.  As you define where you are going there may be adjustments that need to be made along the way.  Talk about it often with your family.  Refer back to it when you make decisions that impact the family.

    As you look at your family rules, are they aligned with your family mission statement?  This way as you have to uphold these rules you can explain the why behind the rules as how they are trying to get our mission accomplished.  Talk about it often and over communicate where you are going.  The road trip is a much easier when you know where you are going.  It does not mean there are not going to potholes and flat tires along the way.  It does make these bumps in the road easier to overcome when each member of the family can see the bigger picture.  When they clearly know there is a destination and this place we are stopped at now is nowhere near the great things we have in store once we get to where we are going.

    Take the step now to help your family understand the vision of where you all a going.  If you need some help getting started on your mission statement sign up to get our Family Lead One Page Plan where we take you through step by step on not only how to set up your family mission statement but to plan out other ways to take control of your family.  We believe this is such an important step for any family that we are giving this away absolutely free.  Just sign up to be a part of the FamilyLead community on the subscribe tab and get updates sent right to your email and define your mission today.