Points to Ponder on "The Five Most Important Questions You Will Evere Ask About Your Organization" (segment 2)

Book: The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization

By Peter Drucker, with Jim Collins, Philip Kotler, James Kouzes, Judith Rodi, V. Kasturi Rangan, and Frances Hesselbein

(These notes are from the Audio-Tech Business Book Summary)

Question 1: What is Our Mission?

A mission cannot be impersonal. It has to have deep meaning, be something you believe in – something you know is right. A fundamental responsibility of leadership is to make sure that everybody knows the mission, understands it, and lives it. (page 3)

An effective mission statement is short and sharply focused. It should fit on a T-shirt. The mission says why you do what you do, not the means by which you do it. The mission is broad, yet directs you to do the right things now and into the future so that everyone in the organization can say, “What I am doing contributes to the goal.” It must be clear, and it must inspire everyone to say, “Yes, this is something I want to be remembered for.”

Demographics change. Needs change. You must search out the accomplished facts – things that have already happened – that present challenges and opportunities for the organization. Leadership has no choice but to anticipate the future and attempt to mold it. (page 3)

The question of mission has become even more important as our world becomes increasingly disruptive and turbulent. (page 3)

Every truly great organization strives to preserve the core mission, yet stimulate progress. The core mission remains fixed while operating practices, cultural norms, strategies, tactics, process, structures, and methods continually change in response to changing realities. It is the glue that holds an organization together as it expands, decentralizes, globalizes, and attains diversity. (page 4)

In fact, the great paradox of change is that the organizations that best adapt to a changing world first and foremost know what should not change. They havea fixed anchor of guiding principles around which they can more easily change everything else. They know the difference between what is truly sacred and what is not, between what should never change and what should always be open for change, and between “what we stand for” and “how we do things.” (page 4)

One cautionary note: Never subordinate the mission in order to make money. If there are opportunities that threaten the integrity of the organization, you must say no. Your mission provides guidance, not just about what to do, but equally about what not to do. (page 5)

Keep the first question – What is our mission? – in front of you throughout the self-assessment process. Step by step, you will analyze challenges and opportunities, identify your customers, learn what they value, and deliver your results. When it is time to develop the plan, you will take all that you have learned and revisit the mission to affirm or change it. (page 6)

…..start with the long range and then feed back and say, “what do we do today.” The ultimate test is not the beauty of the mission statement. The ultimate test is your performance. (page 6)