All too often we spend enormous time, money and brainpower on creating a mission /vision statement with goals and tactics. We market the results as reflecting our culture. Presentations and letterheads bare our logos and statements as banners.
And what is happening in the real world of our internal offices???? Can each and every employee:
- Recite it (the mission statement and top priority goals) from memory?
- Understand what they stand for and how to implement?
- Know what the end game is?
- Continue to shift to the next project slated on the strategic plan instead of by randomly straying far from original priorities?
- Continually refer back to the plan before making ANY major changes or expenditures?
It’s been my experience after years of working with organizations and corporations of all sizes: 80% of the time the strategic plan has not included a provision for measurement, a logical means of monitoring or created a path of securing sustainability.
In a perfect world, the plan is strategically formed with enormous buy-in from the employees expected to adhere to the tasks and tactics. Every major decision should connect the dots between its goals and mission. Someone is accountable for accomplishing those goals and using that success or challenge as hindsight. That’s in the perfect world. In the meantime, it’s progress, not perfection, that should win the goal.