Why Your Small Business Needs A Clear Mission Statement
Honestly, running a small business can sometimes feel like you’re climbing Mount Everest. It’s a big dream that takes a lot of patience, diligence and consistent effort to accomplish. Some days you probably feel like your only goal is to survive another day. And just like when you’re climbing that daunting beast of a mountain in the Himalayas, a clear view of the summit can sometimes get obscured by the blizzard of activity you will inevitably face.
That’s why having a clear mission statement is critical—it serves as the North Star for your business. It’s a guiding point of reference that will help make sure you’re headed toward the peak you initially set out to summit. It can also provide you with the inspiration and motivation you need to keep going when things get tough.
A mission statement explains why your business exists. It clarifies your purpose and the value you bring to your customers. When this is defined and your team understands the mission, it creates a sort of psychological and energetic alignment that keeps everyone focused on the same summit. When a team is aligned on a mission it can really generate a collective momentum that is tough to stop once it gets rolling.
In the event you’re faced with tough decisions – and this will happen – your mission statement acts as a compass. It helps you evaluate whether an opportunity or strategy aligns with your business’ core intentions, purpose and long-term goals. This ensures consistent and focused growth that becomes more sturdy as time goes on.
This is why we ask our collaborators to spend time reflecting on their mission statement in the early stages of working through the alesce Growth Model. Not only does it help small business owners reconnect with their North Star, it helps us tune into their larger mission. This then allow us to step in and provide support in an aligned way as a business aims to grow.
Take some time to reflect on your mission statement. Check-in with your business as it stands today and ask yourself if you’re circling around base camp or are you confidently striding toward your summit?
