a.    Define values – Values are like a code of morals or ethics that define what our organization stands for, believes in, and considers acceptable and unacceptable in our quest to achieve our vision.

                                                  i.      Not necessarily how we are today as much as how we want to be. (Do we value people working themselves to death?  Integrity – do our actions match our words?)

b.    Congruence / Integrity

                                                  i.      The parts have to work together or the system will breakdown

                                                ii.      Our values are our belief system

                                              iii.      If we accomplish things but violate our belief system in the process, conflict results

                                             iv.      Values are your own private, personal and individual beliefs about what is most important to you.  Your values are your belief systems about right, wrong, good and bad.  Values are the things we all fundamentally need to move toward.  They govern our behavior.

1.     The feeling in your gut, the lump in your throat

2.     A governor on a car

c.    Where values come from

                                                  i.      From our family – how we were raised

                                                ii.      Peer group – you are who you hang around

                                              iii.      School, punishment and reward system

                                             iv.      Society and the media

                                               v.      Our Organization

d.    People have different values, rank values differently, this can lead to conflict

                                                  i.      Convergence Draw circles showing convergence.  Convergence / Roles (Family, Church, Community)

                                                ii.      Most motivated where these circles overlap

                                              iii.      It is important to learn what your values are so you will be able to direct, motivate and support your actions at the deepest level.

                                             iv.      We need to place a frame around the values we are looking for, we need to elicit our values in the specific context (personal, work, family, church etc)

e.    Checklist for Evaluating Our Values – Our values should

                                                  i.      Specify a code of acceptable and unacceptable beliefs and behaviors

                                                ii.      Be unique to our organization, not based on generic buzzwords use by hundreds of other organizations.

                                              iii.      Be consistent with our real business practices.

                                             iv.      Be linked to hiring, promotions, and performance appraisal.

                                               v.      Flow from the ethics and behavior of the strongest leaders (every person is a leader in our organization, if we bring purpose to our position).

                                             vi.      Be clearly understood by all team members.

                                           vii.      Not be subject to change as years pass or as strategy changes.

3.     Purpose – Why do we exist?

a.      There is only one Purpose.  But there are many visions – and several missions for each vision.

                                                  i.      Today we are interested in defining the one vision for our organization, later each team must determine the mission for their team, one that supports the organization purpose and mission.  (Ideally you would consider what your own personal mission is also and how it contributes).

b.     What it looks like.  Purpose builds on our past, lives in our present, and holds hope for our future.  It is our fundamental reason for being.  It is the common thread that runs through the entire fabric of our organization.  Our purpose is timeless, it isn’t a single defining event; it’s expressed and refined over a lifetime.  A purpose statement begins with ‘I exist to serve by ….’ 

                                                  i.      A purpose statement is simply two power-packed words that pin point the constant uniqueness of our organization.  It answers the question ‘Why do we exist?’  The first word is an activity (usually ending in –ing) the second word is the object of that activity.  It brings focus and depth.

c.     Alignment. A purpose depicts the presence and alignment of personal significance and belonging.  The reason for finding the convergence is the desire for us as a group to make a meaningful link between ourselves and the work of our organization.  A harsh separation of our business and personal life won’t allow us to be truly great.  We need to discover that place of alignment where we sincerely believe in our reason (purpose) for existing as an organization.

                                                  i.      Purpose matters because purpose is a matter of the heart.  With out a strong organizational ‘why,’ everyone creates his own ‘why.’ All those well-intended ‘whys’ ultimately come at cross-purposes.  The result is potential chaos.

d.     Exercise: Ask why do we exist?

                                                 i.      As a group. Review our list of values.  Is there one common theme?

                                              ii.      Does this theme answer the question?

e.      Checklist for evaluating our Purpose

                                                  i.      Does it have the right structure of 2 power packed words?

                                                ii.      Is it big enough to keep us from having a focus that is too narrow?

                                              iii.      Is it a common thread that runs through our entire organization?

                                             iv.      Is it compelling?

                                               v.      Is it simple and to the point?

4.     Mission – What do we do?

a.      What it is and isn’t. 

                                                  i.      A mission statement focuses on the present day and describes the organizations products, services, customers, and key work processes.

                                                ii.      Not as according to Dilbert “A long awkward sentence that demonstrates management’s inability to think clearly.”

                                              iii.      A mission describes the accomplishments that are necessary to move the organization toward the vision.  The mission statement addresses the achievements needed in major areas of importance of our organization

1.     Customers: Who are the customers of our organization?

2.     Markets: Where does the organization compete geographically?

3.     Products or Services: What are the major products or services?

4.     Technology: What is the organizations basic technology?

5.     Economic Goals: What is the organizations attitude towards growth and profitability?

6.     Self-concept: What are the organizations strengths and competitive advantage?

7.     Image: What pubic image is desired?

8.     Philosophy: What are the fundamental beliefs and values?

9.     Effectiveness: Does the mission statement address the wishes of key stakeholders?

10. Inspirational: Does the statement motivate people?

b.     The test.  The test of a good mission statement is that it should not fit any organization other than our own.  If it would fit most companies in our industry, or even one other competitor, then it is not a good mission statement.

c.     Examples of good mission statements  (Winning Score p.13)

                                                  i.      Boeing: To push the leading edge of aviation, taking on huge challenges innovatively and doing what others cannot do.

                                                ii.      3M: To solve unsolved problems.

                                              iii.      Walt Disney: To make people happy.

                                             iv.      Hewlett-Packard: To make technical contributions.

                                               v.      Wal-Mart: To give ordinary folk the chance to buy the same things as rich people.

                                             vi.      Sony: To experience the sheer joy of advancing technology and applying it for the public’s benefit.

                                           vii.      Merck: To preserve and improve human life.

                                         viii.      Mary Kay: To give unlimited opportunity to women.

                                             ix.      Teaching Co.: To ignite in all people the passion for learning.

                                               x.      Marriott:  To make people away from home feel that they’re among friends and really wanted.

                                             xi.      Patagonia: To use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.

                                           xii.      Nike: To experience the emotion of competition, winning and crushing competitors.

d.     Building a Mission Statement.  A mission statement should make it clear what the organization does not do, as well as what it does.  A good mission statement should answer the following questions: 

                                                 i.      Answer these questions as a group:

1.     What are our products and or services?

2.     What are our key processes (manufacturing, design, install, healthcare)

3.     Who are our customers and stakeholders?

4.     What makes us unique and distinguishes us from competitors?

                                              ii.      Put it together

1.     What do we do, who do we serve and how do we do it in a way that unique from others in our field?

                                           iii.      Look at it again,

1.     Is it memorable?

2.     Is it meaningful?

3.     Do you feel it in your gut – values?

4.     If not look at it again.

e.      Checklist for evaluating our mission statement.  Our mission statement should:

                                                  i.      Clearly distinguish our organization from any competitors.

                                                ii.      Define what our organization does, and more importantly, what it does not do?

                                              iii.      Identify key abilities or competencies.

                                             iv.      Allow the organization to make better decisions about future opportunities.

                                               v.      Define products and services without being to narrow.

                                             vi.      Be no more than a paragraph in length.

                                           vii.      Be clearly understood by all team members.

                                         viii.      Be written in plan English without buzzwords.

                                             ix.      Focus on the present, and not be combined with a future-focused vision statement.

                                               x.      Be examined and rewritten as necessary when the organizations scope changes.

5.     Vision – Where are we going?

a.      How does it fit together?  Missions are what we do to fulfill the vision that is anchored in our purpose.  Missions are the ‘doing’ aspects of our lives.  Purpose is the being, and visions are the seeing.

b.     Future Focus.  A vision statement is future-focused and defines our organizations goals for the next three to ten years.  It defines a future state or goal our organization wants to achieve.

c.     A vision statement is a statement that defines what we want to be.  It provides a stable sense of direction to guide an organization.  It paints a picture in every person’s mind of where we want to be in the future.  The vision statement communicates direction to all team members.

d.     Exercise.  Vision resides in our minds eye.  It is our dreams and possibilities.

                                                 i.      Close your eyes; imagine our organization in its ultimate vision or potential.

1.     Who do we serve and why?

2.     How do we serve them?

3.     What processes and plans do we have in place to make sure we serve them successfully?

4.     How does it feel to walk around our Organization?  What does it look, smell, taste and feel like?

5.     Think about the people you see, are the happy, enthusiastic, confident, excited and purposeful?

                                              ii.      Look at this vision. Does it fit?

e.      Our vision and purpose must be connected and aligned.  A vision not anchored in our purpose will just become a costly distraction.

f.       A vision statement must be:

                                                  i.      Succinct

                                                ii.      Verifiable

                                              iii.      Focused

                                             iv.      Understandable to all team members

                                               v.      Inspirational

                                             vi.      Memorable

                                           vii.      Challenging

                                         viii.      Descriptive of an ideal condition

                                             ix.      Appealing to the team and community members

                                               x.      Provide a direction for the future of the organization