Posts Tagged ‘business coaching’

As a business coach I am all about setting clear, measurable goals; staying focused on those goals and making the daily work of achieving those goals a lifestyle choice.

In this TED video, Derek Siver, suggests that the goals we set should remain our own little secret.

How will this affect the way you share your vision and mission with your clients and employees?

Check it out.

When my children were in middle school, where being different in anyway was an invitation to name calling, exclusion and shame, I would often assure them that the years between 11 and 13 would be the worst years of their lives.  Just wait, I would encourage them, if you can survive middle school the rest of your life will be better.

Now that I coach business owners to become business leaders, I deliver a similar message as we struggle through the process of defining a unique vision and a mission for their business.  For many this struggle for simple clarity about what it is they do and why they do it is the hardest part of forming a business plan.  Once an entrepreneur is able to clearly articulate the reasons his company exists, the rest can be easy.

Vision or Mission?

Don’t get too hung up on the terms, I find the exact content of each to be flexible depending on who you are talking to. I usually include monetary goals in the vision but reserve the mission for the “Why”.  It is important to know why your business exists because an entity that attempts to operate without a clear mission statement runs the risk of working harder and harder on tasks that don’t necessarily accomplish its intended course: i.e. its mission.

Values

What to you do? How do you do it? Why do you do it?

In a sentence or two a company can articulate its philosophies, goals, ambitions and more.

Here are some examples:

Traditional:

Notice the values included here.

To be the preeminent provider of superior construction services by consistently improving the quality of our product; to add value for clients through innovation, foresight, integrity, and aggressive performance; and to serve with character and purpose that brings honor to God. C.F. Jordan L.P. Construction Services

The One line statement:

In this version the values are fleshed out with bullet points.

“To preserve and improve human life.” (Merck)

• Corporate social responsibility
• Unequivocal excellence in all aspects of the company
• Science-based innovation
• Honesty & integrity
• Profit, but profit from work that benefits humanity

The Inspirational Statement:

Here is an extremely famous and clear mission statement. Notice the clear values.

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

For other examples of mission statements click here

Socially Meaningful

Notice that each of these examples includes socially meaningful criteria.

It can be difficult to uncover the social meaning and value of the service or product you provide but it is essential. When you understand that you are adding value and that value is ultimately what your clients and customer pay for, you will be motivated to grow your business in order to provide that value to as many people as possible. And, in addition, you will be better able to prioritize your activities.  When you are on a mission you will choose to focus on only those tasks that promote your mission.

And Now A Test

Seth Godin says this statement is in the running for the worst mission statement ever.  Can you tell why?

“To satisfy our customers’ desires for personal entertainment and information through total customer satisfaction”
 
 Photo by rustman via Flickr Creative Commons

Should Be Like This

Many small business owners still struggle to perfect their elevator speech. An elevator speech, for those who have never been to a Chamber meeting, or other networking event, is a short synopsis of a business. Ideally the elevator speech provides a description so concise and so compelling that, in that magical moment when an entrepreneur finds herself in the elevator with Donald Trump, she is able to parley that 60 second ride into a d $2M investment.

Are so Yesterday

Elevator rides are no longer just rides. It may take 60 seconds to descend from the 19^th floor to the ground but 60 seconds is WAY too much time to waste listening to a stranger. In sixty seconds Donald Trump can have his I-phone out of his pocket and have dashed off two tweets and an e-mail. He is not going to stand around listening to one person pitch one business idea.

Are Old Technology

The 14th Annual Webby Awards, held in New York on Monday night, honored the best on the internet.  By rule, all acceptance speeches can be no more than five words!  Check out these videos of some of the winners.  What can you say that is meaningful in five words?

Social media strategy consultant and blogger Jay Baer,  claims, “We’ve gone from thoughtful to concise.” Jay suggests we pare down our business value statements to 120 characters to allow for re-tweets.

Are Getting Faster All the Time

It sounds short but it is not that hard.  I managed the following brief statement about who I am and what I do and even how I do it in just 78 characters with room to spare.

“I turn business owners into confident business leaders through focused personal coaching.”

Please give it a try and share your results in the comments.

 
 

photo by sachman75