“Do I need a mission statement?  Do people even have mission statements anymore?”  I’ve gotten questions like these from clients on more than one occasion.  Since everyone just loves a vague response, my answer is yes and no.

To explain, let’s use an analogy from the exciting and insanely-lucrative world of Marvel.  Thor, the God of Thunder, carries a hammer.  Not just any hammer, mind you, but a super-powerful hammer that lets him beat up bad guys and channel lightning and stuff.

After four movies and a couple billion dollars at the box office, Thor finally meets his match against one of those bad guys, who breaks his hammer.  Poor Thor.  Our hero has no choice but to lament the loss of his trusty sidearm—and therefore his powers—to his father Odin.

Odin, in all his wisdom, uses this as a teaching moment by asking point blank, “Are you Thor, the God of Hammers?”  Touché, dad.  Odin goes on to explain that the hammer was never the source of his son’s strength, but only a means to focus it.

SO, what in the world does this have to do with corporate mission statements?  Let’s first clear the air as to what a mission actually is.  Unfortunately, this is a word that’s often used interchangeably with things like “vision” or “goals.”  It’s neither.

Your mission is your “why,” or the driving reason behind your business.  The source of your strength, if you will.  It offers insight into your value proposition by considering:

• Why you exist
• Whom you serve
• How you deliver
• What makes you valuable

An effective mission serves as the guiding light for strategy, operations, sales, and everything in between.  It provides a common cause to work toward and forms the foundation of your:

• Vision: where you want to go and what you want your mission to achieve
• Values: how you define your culture and conduct your business
• Pitch: how you position and differentiate yourself in the marketplace
• Goals: ever-evolving business objectives that ultimately tie back to your “why”

Now, some companies choose to focus their missions in a more tangible way—i.e., in print.  Such mission statements come in various forms depending on the nature of the organization.  Some can do this literally in two words.  Others feel the need to use a bit more detail.  To wit:

• TED: “Spread ideas.”
• Amazon: “Our mission is to be Earth’s most customer-centric company. This is what unites Amazonians across teams and geographies as we are all striving to delight our customers and make their lives easier, one innovative product, service, and idea at a time.”

Two world-class brands, two very different approaches to their statements.  Contrast this with a company like Zappos, whose mission is “To live and deliver WOW.”  I’m a fan of Zappos and I’ll use them again next time I need some new top-siders.  But, for the life of me, I can’t figure out how their mission connects to my Sperrys.

Sound “whys” can’t be judged by length (TED, thumbs up) or perceived boldness (Zappos, thumbs down).  Rather, their strength depends on a few key characteristics:

• Clear: easily memorable and without vague, fluffy, or jargony language
• Concise: long enough to sufficiently convey your message and no longer
• Distinguishable: meaningfully differentiates you in the market
• Inspirational: powerful for customers, motivational for employees, attainable by all

It’s also important to keep in mind that missions in general aren’t etched in granite.  Just like people, business priorities evolve and core pillars follow suit.

Take Patagonia, for example.  Until recently, the outdoor brand’s driving purpose was to “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.”  It introduced a new statement in 2019—“We’re in business to save our home planet”—which aligns with its more active voice in political discussions around public-land policy.  Its motivations may have shifted, but it’s still selling jackets and backpacks to a core audience in lockstep with its ideals.

So, putting a bow on everything here, is a mission statement necessary?  If you’re referring to your overarching mission, then yes, you need to be clear on your “why,” the power behind your business.  A company without a sense of purpose is a rudderless ship.

On the other hand, if you’re referring to the statement portion of the term, then ehh, not necessarily.  No one in their right mind is going to cross you off the list because you don’t have one of these plastered on your About page.  Like Thor, you can still save the day without a hammer.

If you do choose to codify things in a sentence or two, that’s great.  Just keep in mind the above guidelines.  And maybe re-watch The Avengers.

Need a hand agonizing over the right words that capture the uttermost essence of your corporate being?  Give me a call and let’s chop it up.