Welcome to issue No. 078 of the Lever

How important is it to define your company's Mission, Vision, and Values?

I believe it is the most important thing.

But too often it turns into a cut & paste exercise, if it's even done at all.

Here is what I've learned from leading successful MVV workshops:

Before we start...

Crafting a compelling vision means communicating it well.

And clear communication follows the ABC's

• Accuracy
• Brevity
• Concise

The best guide I've read on creating brief words that get read is Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More With Less

​Get a copy today​

I recently completed a full Mission Vision Values refresh for an 8 figure company.

Some of the things I found while preparing were shocking:

• Conflicting vision + mission statements

• No alignment through documents

• Never rolled out in the first place

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Some of the Values were actually pretty good. Until I learned they had been copypasta'd from the internet…

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The crazy thing is that the company has very strong values that are immediately clear.

The mission was evident in their actions.

And the vision was obvious.

It all just needed to be captured and wordsmithed for clarity.

That's where I came in.

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Here are 7 key takeaways to consider when conducting a MVV workshop:

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1/ Start at the bottom

Values are the foundation.

They drive how people show up. The actions they take.

Nailing these down first makes everything else easier.

The key here is to NOT get aspirational. Values are demonstrated through actions, which is modeled by employees, and ultimately forms the core of your company's culture.

You can value "customer service" all you want, but if you pull a gun on a customer trying to buy flowers for a grieving mother your actions speak louder than your aspirations. (True story)

Capture what you actually value and it all falls into place. Miss the mark and it becomes a bullshit exercise.

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2/ Not everybody is into it

In my last session someone said:

"Just tell me what the values are. I've got work to do".

Some people don't like introspective exercises, like talking about values, or discovering personality traits.

Which tells you something about what they value.

"Sounds like you value getting things done."

(We ultimately landed on Sense of Urgency).

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3/ You don't owe an explanation

You don't choose your values. You simply bring them to light.

Values aren't aspirational. They just Are.

Because they are built into the DNA of the company, you don't owe anyone an explanation for them, and you certainly don't want them chosen for you.

They are demonstrated in the actions people take every day.

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4/ The litmus test for values

When you have a list, stop and ask:

Patagonia's value of "Cause No Unnecessary Harm" prioritizes sustainability over profit, which can lead to higher production costs compared to competitors who use cheaper, less eco-friendly materials.

However, this creates a loyal customer base and strong internal culture of purpose-driven employees who resonate with the mission.

That's a strong value.

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5/ Move through the middle

Once you've figured out how you show up (values) it's time to define what you actually do.

It's time to define the mission.

It should capture what you do, who you do it for, and how you do it that makes your approach unique.

Done right and it provides motivating drive for the team and creates excitement in your customers.

A one-word question will help you find it quickly.

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6/ Why? (why, why…)

Start with a statement of what product or service you provide:

"We sell athletic shoes"

Why?

"To help people perform better in sports"

Why?

"Because everyone should have the tools to reach their potential"

Why?

"So they can feel inspired and empowered in their lives"

Why?

"Because we want to create a world where everyone feels capable of achieving greatness"

Why?

"To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world"

That's Nike's mission statement.

Just do it.

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7/ Finish at the top

You know what you do.

You know how you do it.

Now it's time to get aspirational.

Your vision for the future creates a bold, long term goal that you may never reach. But reaching for it anyway creates drive and excitement.

If you shoot for the moon and miss you'll still end up amongst the stars.

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Take the Time

Values, Mission, and Vision may sound like a wishy-washy management thing, but it is an important thread that runs through the entire company.

Communicated consistently it drives the motivating purpose behind everything your people do.

And it upholds group unity by spelling out the cultural expectations.

That's worth spending some time on.

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