Strategic Planning Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

What Is a Mission Statement?

The mission statement is a short, concise statement that describes what the organization will strive to bring about -- the reason why the company exists in terms of its impact on the rest of the world.

A good mission statement is neither too specific or too general. If a mission statement is too general, people will either not understand what it means, or people will have very different ideas of what the mission statement means. If it's too specific, it may need to be changed too often as the world changes.

The mission statement doesn't change very often. It should be a relatively enduring signpost.

Also, the mission statement comes from the vision established previously, during strategic planning. It is a condensation of the more vivid vision.

In the program Star Trek, the show opens with a "mission statement": To Go Where No Men Have Gone Before. This is an example of a mission statement that is simply too broad and general. A better mission might be:

To explore the reaches of space.

Notice the second one is more precise, because it specifies WHERE the exploration will occur.