Every successful business has a powerful mission statement guiding their every move. The mission statement defines what the business is setting out to achieve, how it does business, and who it’s looking to serve. It also can identify a competitive advantages and what sets the business apart from the rest. In short, the mission statement is used to define the purpose and the focus of the business.
But does every successful business have a mantra? Does yours? A mantra is a word or a simple phrase that, like your mission statement, defines why the business exists. The benefits of a mantra for your business is that it typically is shorter than your mission statement, and depending on how it’s communicated throughout the organization, can be easily remembered and repeated by your employees. When it’s a powerful mantra that appropriately defines the purpose of your business, employees will share it, live it, and breathe it everyday.
Think about a few successful businesses. Can you figure out what their mantra might be? The key is to keep it 3-4 words, simple yet powerful, and easy to remember. What about your business – can you identify a mantra that works for you?
But does your business need a mission statement and a mantra? According to Guy Kawasaki, a business should have both. The purpose of a mission statement is to define the company’s goals and objectives, and how they will achieve them. It should be shared, repeated, and adhered to consistently. And that’s what the two have in common. Both a mission statement and a mantra defines the business’ objectives, should be repeated, and should be shared throughout the organization. Your company likely has a mission statement, but does it have a mantra? It will now.