Remaining True to Your Mission Statement

“When in the course of human events...”

So begins our Declaration of Independence celebrated this month. This document set forth our country’s mission by declaring independence and advocating the importance of values of freedom and equality. Our group of brilliant founding fathers codified the principles that defined the vanguard of contemporary Western philosophy addressing and promoting the rights of man. And to demonstrate their seriousness, they publicly pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor to uphold those ideals.

We are fortunate that 229 years ago these founders created the environment, now called the USA, in which our personal and business lives can exist and thrive. The signers of the Declaration not only printed and attested to their philosophies; they lived them and fought wars to secure their ideals. When we write or adopt our corporate mission statements, we have the opportunity to express ideals to live by as well. Here’s our mission statement for your review:

Greco Apparel Mission Statement: “Reliable * Dedicated * Caring”

Greco Apparel is dedicated to delighting our clients by providing them with a reliable supply of quality garments. We accomplish this mission through a company of capable, experienced individuals who perform with unsurpassed integrity, skill and caring in an environment that values and rewards contributions and efforts.

Many mission statements have very similar language. Ours was adopted and enhanced with contributions from our associates. Our words were chosen carefully. I pushed for the ideal of “delighting” our clients with our service. This word doesn’t translate into Spanish directly so I described the concept. You won’t see this term in many mission statements but it characterizes the result I desired. Think about when you receive wonderful service from anyone or any vendor. You become a “cheerleader” from that experience and tell friends and colleagues about your wonderful experience. Enthusiastic referrals help build business. While posting mission statements on the walls is a common practice, how much of that mission is actually lived and expressed in the daily behaviors and decisions made within the corporation?

Whether we realize it or not, our values are expressed many times per day in the seemingly small or insignificant decisions we make and in conversations in which we participate. We may often field a question just passing someone in the hall and have the opportunity to give guidance and add value with some quick remarks. As a leader are your responses guided by the values declared in your company’s mission? Have you adopted and accepted your company’s mission or do you just exist in the job for the paycheck?

I agree that under daily stress there is temptation to allow your principles to relax. And this is a major challenge to our integrity. How true can you stay the course? Does your corporate culture allow for discussion among your colleagues? What are the guidelines on bending or breaking the “rules?” Do esteemed values and ethics guide decision-making or is behavior driven by the politics of power or pressure for performance? The value and effectiveness of leadership becomes evident in answering these questions. To know where the lines must be drawn is not often easy. It has taken me many years to both be the “boss” and admit that I didn’t have all the answers and that such an admission would not be a sign of weakness but of strength.

A clear mission should support adaptations to changes within your organization and with the external marketplace. The value principles remain the same.

In order to delight clients with service and performance on a continual basis one must have associates and vendors who understand and support the values expressed in the mission. Otherwise there is non-alignment. As with the wheels on your car not being aligned, friction is increased and performance suffers. Our mission statement’s values of caring and integrity are integral to the treatment of associates and vendor partners. When our nation’s founding fathers expressed their ideals, they weren’t just telling the King of England about their objectives, they also declared their values to their fellow citizens and other nations of the world.

Our mission statement sets our guidelines for attitude and behavior with our clients, associates and vendor partners. As we expand with global sourcing our mission has not changed. Delighting our clients is the reason for our existence. I declare!

Joseph Greco is president of Greco Apparel. Visit them on the web at www.grecoapparel.com