A company’s mission is the foundation for everything it does. While the specific objectives of the company may change over time, your original mission, vision and values should remain intact until you and your team make a conscious choice to change them.
If you find that your company is inadvertently deviating from its original mission, it may be time to think about the next steps. To help, nine members of Council for Young Entrepreneurs share some recommended first steps to take if you notice your company is deviating from its original mission, vision, and values. Follow their advice to reassess where you stand and decide if it’s best to get back to your core mission or make a conscious pivot.
Young Entrepreneur Council members share tips to help you navigate your way back to your corporate mission.
Photos courtesy of individual members.
1. Show everyone their worth
While corporate culture can be subject to change – implementing remote work, for example, is a strong breeding ground for change – this must be done consciously, without compromising common values and mission. A mission statement is a goal that motivates people to get work done and achieve goals. It brings people together and forms the basis of a team. To get that mission back, we’d have to go back to base. A crucial aspect is to show everyone in the company how important their role is. Everyone contributes to the mission. By making everyone aware of the value of their work in achieving your mission and safeguarding your values, a deeper connection and engagement can be achieved. † Brian Pallas† Opportunity Network
2. Consider the circumstances
Shifts are a natural part of business and enterprise. While the initial response may not be positive, a shift in a company’s original mission, vision and values need not spell disaster if it meets these three criteria: 1. It is informed by market conditions; 2. it is more congruent with team leadership, executive preference or business reality; and 3. it represents a purposeful and strategic evolution within the company’s growth cycle. If you’re inclined to update these fundamental elements of the business, chances are these changes are overdue and need to be well documented. Think about why the shifts happened, how they are occurring for your key stakeholders and what needs to be done about them – then it will be a positive and transformative experience! † Christopher Tarantino† Epicenter innovation
3. Take the time to meditate on it
Guided meditations work for me when I feel the paved path has taken a different course. I spend five minutes calming my mind and focusing on my breathing. This puts me in a calm state to receive what my intuition and gut feeling tell me during the rest of the meditation. I immediately supplement with a diary, so that I can collect all my thoughts, explore what my goals are and the ‘why’ behind them. Pen on paper is different from typing your thoughts and feels more personal. I then take what I’ve written and explore the big goals and the ‘why’ behind them. I sleep on it for a day or two and then identify action steps to accomplish my goals. I block time in my calendar to achieve those goals, reminding myself that change is normal and necessary and to trust the process. † Givelle Laman† Law firm Lamano
4. Forgive the insecurities and embrace your ‘why’
Forgive yourself for your own insecurity. You cannot reevaluate your own vision if you are “ashamed” of it. Recognize that as we get closer to our goals, sometimes we find that we no longer want them, and that we are actually striving for something else. That is good; there’s no shame in that. However, it is your responsibility to define your team’s purpose and know your ‘why’. Ask yourself: where am I going with this company? What is the difference from my original target? You probably made plans and projections when you first set your goals. Check them again and compare them to your current one. There is a deeper reason why you are pursuing these new goals, and you will need to embrace that “why” so that you can record what you were placed on this Earth for! † Jonathan Sparks† sparks law
5. Understand the reason for the shift
If you feel your company is deviating from your original vision, mission and values, start by asking why. Be sure to also carefully review the company’s other key performance indicators such as growth, customer and employee retention, profitability, and more. Sometimes an evolution from the origin of the company can be a good thing, such as when there has been a major shift in the market or the world. Of course, companies can also get lost due to a lack of communication and discipline on behalf of the founder, CEO or executive team. Before you jump into action, however, make sure you understand why things have changed and that you correctly diagnose the main problem. † Ben Landers† Blue Corona
6. Write down your goals and key results
Some mission drift is unavoidable and can even be beneficial depending on the context, but if your business is drifting due to a loss of direction and focus, the first step to take is to grab a pen and pencil. Then write down your company’s objectives and key results (OKRs) on paper. Writing them down on paper will help you remember the framework of your company’s goals and whether they are moving in a successful direction. After you write down the OKRs, hold a work visualization session with your team and ask them to visualize how their specific tasks and priorities help maintain this framework. Especially if you have a hybrid work environment, work visualization can help stop missionary drive and ultimately maintain your competitive advantage. † Shu Saito† All filters
7. Expand your mission statement
I live with the idea that what you start with is not what you end up with. However, when it comes to moving away from your mission, vision and values, it’s about finding out why. Why do we move away from these things? Do we like where we are going? Are we happy with this new direction? Does this help us get closer to our goals? If the answer is yes, then it is time to re-evaluate the mission and vision. I’m open to being fluent as long as it doesn’t interfere with my personal morals, ethics, or values. But the idea that we should have one mission statement and live by it forever is outdated and is probably holding many companies back from growing. † Ryann Dowdy† Uncensored Consulting, LLC
8. Consider the relevance of your original mission
To solve this problem, the first step is to examine your original vision, mission and values statements. Are they relevant today? Do they still reflect well what your company stands for and does? If not, it might be time to update them. This will help ensure your business is aligned with values that matter. You may find that people don’t resonate with your stated mission, or that your company has outgrown its original vision. If so, work with your team to come up with something new. This helps ensure that you are getting input and that everyone is in sync with the listed values. † Blair Williams† Members Press
9. Talk to your team
The first step to take if you feel your company is moving away from your original mission, vision and values is to start a conversation with your team. During this conversation you want to ask them what they think the new mission, vision and values of the company should be. This will help you gain a better understanding of where the business is heading and how to get everyone on board in the new direction. It’s important to have this conversation early so you can make sure everyone is on the same page and moving in the same direction. Sometimes you’ll find it’s time to change your original guidelines – and that’s okay. † Syed Balkan† WPBeginner
