"We have committed to synergistically fashion high-quality products so that we may collaboratively provide access to inexpensive leadership skills in order to solve business problems"
This sounds like the kind of corporate BS I would expect to see plastered on the staff room wall of a Wal Mart.
But how do you expect your staff and customers to buy into that crap, when you don't even buy into it?
Now there's a reason why the mission statement is the first part of the business plan. It's because it is the most important part. Problem is it gets gleaned over so the entrepreneur can get to the juicy bits like marketing, or operations. Like building a house; when building a business, you need a strong foundation. Without a good foundation; your business is stuffed, no two ways about it.
I am now going to introduce a term I just made up five seconds ago; A Foundation Plan. A foundation plan is the first part of your business plan and it forms the basis from which all future planning and decisions should be made.
In his book, Strategy and the Fat Smoker
, David Maister discusses four key aspects for developing a business strategy, or in this context a foundation plan. I have elaborated on these a little from my own research, and included a subheading under each of the four aspects. They are as follows:- Purpose: The Mission - Why does this business exist?
- Stakeholders - The People - Who does the company work for?
- Vision: The Direction - What are we trying to achieve?
- Rationale: The Reason - Why are we trying to achieve this?
- Values: The Principles - What values are driving this vision?
- Ideologies: The Philosophy - What do we believe in?
- Culture: The Way of Life - What can I, as an employee do to contribute to the mission?
- Strategy: The Game Plan - What is the business going to do to achieve the mission?
Until then,
Shut Up and Save!
Chris Hooper