Dear Steven,
I have some thoughts in response to your message. See below. Harriett
In a message dated 5/12/99 5:24:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time,
SMalamud@binax.com writes:
> I am at an impasse in the development of our corporate website. In the
> process of developing our corporate web site, we have created a mission,
> vision, and values statement. It was created by a small committee of
> people, including our CEO. Others were asked to participate in the
> process, but did not respond.
I think the fact that only a small group of people crafted the mission,
vision, and values statements and the rest chose not to respond says
something very important about how the members of the organization
perceive their role. More critical for me would not be whether to post it
on the web site but to find out why so few people were willing to buy into
the process.
> Now, we have a two drafts of our statement
> and differing opinions about whether posting the company's vision and
> values has any merit. The site, in the eyes of many here, is a sales tool
> and they contend that customers don't care about how we do business, they
> just want the best product and services. Vision and value statements are
> meant for an internal audience, and do not belong on the web.
Actually, I think people DO care how you do business because they
understand the direct connection between how you do business and whether
they will be satisfied with the results. I don't mind seeing
corporation's value statements anywhere IF I sense that they (i.e., the
employees) mean them and stand behind them. I had an interesting
experience several years ago after a day of leadership training and
writing mission statements, etc. A number of us left the retreat grounds
to get dinner in town and selected a trendy restaurant. As we were
waiting to order, I picked up what I thought was a menu card in a little
plastic holder and it turned out to be the restaurant's mission statement!
Well, we thought that was ironic but then we decided to see if the
restaurant really stood behind what it said on that card -- which
basically was they'd do anything to make our dining experience a good one.
We didn't want to be too obnoxious, but we decided to request separate
checks -- 8 of them -- for what was going to be a long, complex dinner.
Not a problem. The server didn't even blink. She then told us that all
the restaurant's servers were responsible for every table in the sense
that if we needed anything, we could ask anyone at any time. She then
asked if we wanted to pre-order the souffle, a house specialty, for
dessert. We declined and went ahead with dinner. The meal was great; the
service very good. We were debating about dessert, and then the serving
person showed up with a souffle, 8 dishes and 8 spoons and said, "You
know. I thought that maybe after all you'd want to at least taste this,
so I had one prepared and here it is, on the house." A mission statement
in action if ever there was one!
> Creating a
> mission, vision, values statement represents a very large step for some
> of
> us who would like to deal with our problems productively and proactively.
> Our intent is cultural change. We need to get this web site done and my
> concern is that what we put on the web ought not become a bunch of
> claptrap to our somewhat resigned and cynical employees. One
> vice-president (who chose not to participate in our process) already has
> plans to post the mission statement throughout the building.
I'm afraid that it may already be "claptrap" to all those who didn't
participate. But one way to make it real and more meaningful is to let
the employees translate what it really means for them. Ask the work units
-- or individuals -- to take the statements and come up with ONE concrete,
measurable thing they can do to demonstrate the company's values. It
doesn't have to be a very big thing. but it can be the start of beginning
to look at the everyday tasks they perform and seeing some other meaning
or value to them.
Good luck. P.S. There are some interesting dissertations out there on
mission statements. One by Roseann Stevenson: Clarifying Behavioral
Expectations Associated with Espoused Organizational Values. Available
through UMI. And I just finished one that looks at how community colleges
operationalize mission statements that include becoming a learning
organization. I'm happy to send it to you if you have the time or
interest.
H.
> So, to clarify:
>
> * Do vision and values statements belong on a corporate web site and
> why?
>
> * How do we communicate the mission, vision, values statement to
> employees in a way that might be meaningful, given the process we have
> experienced?
>
> I am very frustrated. I have very good intentions and feel like I must
> continually compromise the original intention of my actions.
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