RiechesBaird is currently taking four organizations through the process of developing these statements.

Here are some insights into each of the statements, some examples and some thoughts on how to develop them.

It starts with PURPOSE.
A purpose statement answers – WHY do we exist?

Purpose is bigger and deeper than any business goal. When an organization has a clear purpose, it attracts talented personnel, strategic alliances, and loyal customers. I am finding that in many cases, the Purpose statement is the one that creates the deepest emotional connection with the audience.

Here are some examples that I like because they are simple, direct and inspiring.
•    To preserve and improve human life. –  Merck
•    To make people happy. –  Walt Disney
•    To solve unsolved problems innovatively. –  3M
•    To give unlimited opportunity to women. –  Mary Kay Cosmetics

Some guiding criteria when evaluating a compelling Purpose Statement
•    Non competitive – other organizations could have similar version
•    Statement could be relevant forever – might never be attainable
•    Creates a desire for collegial teamwork – bigger than the individual
•    So motivating that people are excited to get up in morning and charge the day
•    Speaks to the human SOUL

The last two thoughts are the ones that resonate most with me when evaluating how successful or memorable a Purpose Statement could be.

A method that I have found useful in developing Purpose
•    Start with a descriptive statement and then break it down to the core
•    Ask – Why is that important? Continue to ask until you find the true emotional connection
•    You might have to ask Why many times
•    Keep it simple and don’t try to put too much into it; you have other statements to complete the idea
•    Create multiple options to consider as you develop the corresponding statements

Questions to ask during the process
•    Why is it important for this organization to exist?
•    What would be lost if this organization ceased to exist?
•    Beyond money, why would anyone dedicate their precious time, energy and passion for this organization

Although this post only speaks to Purpose, please keep in mind that the statements must work together and build upon each other to offer the biggest idea. I like to start with a number of Purpose options, do the same for Vision and then start to tie them together.

A similar overview of Vision will be in my next post.

I welcome your feedback.

The whole purpose is to take an organization to a new place. Unfortunately most people aren’t ready for change and it is much easier for them to stay on the same comfortable path.

I was recently reminded of this challenge along with an author who I consider the authority on change – John Kotter. His books on leading change throughout an organization are still timely today. I often refer to his concepts when guiding companies into the future.

Kotter developed a number of steps for an organization to achieve transformational change. A recent Facebook survey on his steps offered the following feedback on why transformational change is challenging for an organization.

•    27% empowering others to act on the vision
•    20% establishing a sense of urgency
•    13% institutionalizing new approaches
•    13% creating a vision to guide the change
•    10% communicating the vision
•    9% forming a team to lead change
•    7% creating short term wins
•    2% producing still more change

Change can be good if leaders guide and let go!

The biggest takeaway for me from these stats is that it all comes down to leadership. Great leaders guide and get out of the way by empowering others. Unfortunately too many leaders let their ego get in the way and feel they have to control everything. If they actually let go and empowered people, it is amazing the type of momentum that can occur, build and grow.

This relates back to an organization’s culture as well. Culture is often underestimated. When a thriving culture is in place with a clear purpose and vision, amazing things can happen.

From my experience this is the formula for turning a vision into a realization in a corporate setting. Do you possess a different view? Whether you agree or disagree I would like to hear your thoughts as they can help us turn vision into reality.

The majority of respondents used the terms Vision and Mission interchangeably. Therefore the two statements became vessels to contain all the statements typically used to guide the company. Interestingly, 71% of the CEOs agreed that each statement serves a distinct purpose and should not be combined in some overly complex statement.

So, brilliant corporate leaders were inadvertently sabotaging their efforts to provide a clear direction to guide employees’ daily actions.

On the other hand, the term ‘brand positioning’ enjoyed the highest level of understanding with strong agreement about the statement, “A brand helps differentiate the organization from the competition.”

With the insight gained from our research, we set out to gain a broader understanding of the commonly accepted definitions and applications of these statements. It became abundantly obvious there is a lack of clear authority, a consistent viewpoint or set of standards on the topic. When C-Level executives came together to offer a consensus on a company’s future it was rarely communicated properly or shared with their entire organizations a clear destination.

This void was so apparent that, throughout the last year, RiechesBaird developed our own standardized definitions. Audiences ranging from business schools and executive organizations to billion-dollar companies have validated the following definitions—they have also affirmed our description of how they work together.

PURPOSE – It’s WHY we exist.
Purpose is bigger and deeper than any business goal. When an organization has a clear cause, it attracts talented personnel, strategic alliances, and loyal customers.

This is not a statement of differentiation and therefore need not be proprietary. Think of it as the emotional trigger that inspires everyone involved to achieve greatness.

VISION STATEMENT – It’s WHAT we aim to achieve.
A depiction of a desired result that motivates, energizes, and helps an organization describe its destination.

MISSION STATEMENT – It’s HOW we plan to achieve our Vision.
Defines the key outcomes and goals of a company. It determines the path to best achieve the Vision Statement.

VALUES – They are what we stand for and HOW we behave.
Describes the traits and qualities that shape daily actions with the internal community, customers, and suppliers. These values shape corporate culture when they become deeply held driving forces and high priorities.

BRAND POSITIONING – It’s HOW we differentiate from our competition.
This is a statement of a unique value proposition to a company’s primary audiences. This simple and concisely written statement conveys the organization’s supported point of distinction relative to competitors. The brand is not a logo, tagline or ad campaign, but rather the platform from which all marketing communications emanate.

So how does Brand Positioning guide a new corporate Vision?

The process for developing a strategic brand position offers a comprehensive internal and external view providing deep insights into a company. By understanding the company’s competitive differentiation, it becomes clearer to see what opportunities exist and where the company could go.

Our belief is that today is a new day. While eight out of 10 competitors are afraid to make moves, we insist the time is now to move forward. Sitting still is falling behind.

The key is to move ahead in a strategic, bold and definitive manner so the entire organization operates with precision and focus. Unfortunately, most organizations do not have such clarity or the means to achieve it. This is where a clear vision can guide your team toward a bright future.

There is not a cookie-cutter model for a great vision statement, but rather the culture of an organization is often the driving force of a new Vision. There are four basic types of vision statements. Here are some good examples of each.

Quantitative
• Become a $125 billion company by the year 2000. – Wal-Mart, 1990
• A computer on every desk and in every home; all running Microsoft software. – Microsoft, 1990s
• We will put a man on the moon and return him safely within the decade. – JFK, early 1960s

David-versus-Goliath
• Crush Adidas – Nike, 1960s
• Yamaha wo tsubusu! We will destroy Yamaha! – Honda, 1970s

Role-Model
• Become the Harvard of the West – Stanford University, 1940s
• Become the Nike of the cycling industry – Giro Sport Design, 1986

Internal Transformations
• Become number one or two in every market we serve and revolutionize this company to have the strengths of a big company combined with the leanness and agility of a small company. — GE, 1980s
• Transform this company from a defense contractor into the best-diversified high-tech company in the world. — Rockwell, 1995
• Become the company most known for changing the worldwide poor-quality image of Japanese products. — Sony, 1950s

Which style best suits your corporate vision?

We strongly recommend going beyond the typical list of: respect, integrity, teamwork, communication etc. You want to personalize these aspects to reflect and guide your unique organizational culture.

Zappos achieved great success by differentiating through service. However, this was not done in vacuum, but rather with a deep understanding of how culture can truly align and drive an organization.

According to Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos, “We’ve been asked by a lot of people how we’ve grown so quickly, and the answer is actually really simple… We’ve aligned the entire organization around one mission: to provide the best customer service possible. Internally, we call this our WOW philosophy”.

The Zappos Family Values:
1. Deliver WOW Through Service
2. Embrace and Drive Change
3. Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
4. Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
5. Pursue Growth and Learning
6. Build Open and Honest Relationships With Communication
7. Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
8. Do More With Less
9. Be Passionate and Determined
10. Be Humble

“Zappos is a service company that just happens to sell shoes. My passion is delivering the best customer service. In 10 years, people won’t realize that Zappos sells shoes.” Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.

From Mr. Hsieh’s lips to the mindset of every Zappos employee, customer service has been the company’s primary pillar. We’ll explore best practices for internal adoption of a brand vision in an upcoming post.