Leadership Nugget: Developing a timeless mission statement.

Dear leader,

 In any leadership handbook, part of the key responsibilities of a leader is to develop a vision, a mission statement and a strategy to achieve these. I also believe that for personal effectiveness, a leader would have a personal vision, a life mission statement and strategy to achieve these. Last week I wrote on vision, this week I want to explore mission statement.

 I have come across many mission statements in my short life and I have worked for a few leading International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGO) that tweak their mission statement every once in a while (to meet changing 'poverty' statistics). I am yet to see a mission statement that is as effective, successful and timeless;

 ''Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone'' or translated simply to 'Preaching the good news to all Nations'

It does not matter whether you are a Christian or not, the truth is that this mission statement has transformed millions of lives; has been and continues to be carried forward from over 2000 years without change! There is no other mission statement that has been passed down from generation to generation so successfully. I am interested, if you are reading this and you know of any other mission statement that has lasted so long successfully and continues to be carried out, please leave a comment.

Organization's craft mission statement to show the reason for its existence. Many mission statements are changed along the way to suit what is going on in the world they operate in and in the end they become extinct because the reason for its existence is dependent on external factors.

 So as leaders, what can we learn about a successful mission statement that will outlast us all?

- It is future focused; a short term mission statement is only a goal

- It is to impact the world; if it is just about you or your organization to profit, it will not last forever

- It is given after a clear vision; the mission statement becomes the core of making your vision become a reality

- It is given after a period of preparation; the mission will last when followers have been prepared and they believe in it. A personal mission statement would be after a period of self-preparation (meditation, reflections, training etc.)

- It is simple and clear; there are not many goals in the mission, just one

- It is backed with resources needed to carry it out.

Develop that mission statement that will make someone say like Isaiah; "Here am I. Send me."