leadingtoday.org

Leadership Tip of the Month

Part 1 of 2

September 2002

Copyright 2002 ã weLEAD, Inc.

What is Your Personal Mission Statement?

Business today is complex and vulnerable. Any organization that wishes to survive must have a clear “mission statement” and an unquenchable drive to achieve it. A mission statement for a business describes the purpose of the organization and outlines the types of activities to be performed for constituents and customers. It should also mention what unique value or services the organization offers as a byproduct of its work.

However, life is also very complex in today’s world and to maximize our individual potential and opportunities we should also have a “personal mission statement”. What is yours? In a special way your personal mission statement will define your purpose in this world along with the goals and values you seek to achieve. It is your own particular “constitution” that reflects your unique purpose and values! It will help to focus your energies and resources. It will also provide a sense of orientation, and unify the fragments of your life.

Here are some sound reasons why you should invest the time to create your own personal mission statement. If you are saying to yourself “why should I create one?”, here are some points to ponder.

•It defines what I value. (Moral compass). This is a great aid, particularly during difficult times in life when your ethics or standards are under assault.

•What do I stand for? (Belief system). This includes deeply held principles, including your degree of spirituality.

•What is my essential mission in life? If you can’t articulate your essential mission, the process of creating your personal mission statement will prod you to ponder this essential question.

•What are my responsibilities? Many leaders ultimately fail because they either forget their personal responsibilities to others or falsely believe they are “above” normal expectations.

Things to remember in its creation…

•It is yours only! Personalize it for you. This is your special assignment and creation. Take the time to ask yourself some heartfelt questions and clear responses. Your personal mission statement is supposed to be different than everyone else’s. You are unique!

•Make it as short or as long as you want. There is not a “hard and fast” rule, but if you want to frame it to hang on a wall, it will need to be succinct to be readable in limited space.

•Work on it until it inspires you. The idea is for this document to motivate you when it is referred to in the future.

•It should reflect not just the way you are today, but what you hope to become in a better tomorrow! Remember that leaders are visionaries who seek to improve the world or business they live in.

What do we do with it?

•It should be written and made public at home! Take pride and ownership in this document. If you are really bold you may want to display it in the workplace on your desk or wall at the office!

•It should be reviewed at least once per week. A good suggestion is to do this as part of a weekly meditation. If you are a spiritual person, perhaps the time you set aside for religious observances would be ideal.

•It should provoke humble self-analysis. Your personal mission statement will provide a “benchmark” to evaluate your present level of personal growth and development. This should not only include reflection on what yet needs to be done, but on the achievements accomplished to this point in time.

•It should be allowed to be re-written as we grow and change. In time we all change and hopefully mature as we grow through life’s experiences. Expect to make adjustments to your goals and desires, as they will shift with age.

Next month we will discuss how to write the basic parts of your own personal mission statement!

For weLEAD, this is Greg Thomas reminding you that it Robert Browning who wrote, “Ah, but a man’s

reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?”

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