We hate reading blogs that repeat stuff (but we know it's something we are supposed to do...). So we will assume that if you wanted to learn about the Three Key Questions or about the first part of a strategic plan, the Vision, you've read those already! No repeating.
A Mission Statement is about purpose and focus, and is usually very concrete and easy to understand. If your group is struggling with creating a Vision, their thinking preferences might allow you to facilitate a Mission statement with a lot less work and frustration. You can always come back to the Vision Statement later.
When we ask questions during a strategic planning session that is focused on the Mission, we fit them into one of the following categories:
- What is the reason or purpose your organization exists?
- What problems or issues do you address and solve?
- What "business" are you in?
- Who do you serve?
Tip: if your team is starting to use a lot of jargon, buzz words, or industry specific language, ask them this: "How would you explain what we do to a group of 5th graders (approximately 10 - 12 year old students)?" That usually shifts the focus off of wordsmithing (agonizing, right?) and back to the most important concepts.
We hope that these questions inspire you to ask some of your own, and we'd love to hear from you what ideas you would have - as facilitators, we all learn from each other.
If you want to find more resources, or take a quick course on facilitating mission statements, please head over to our online courses at https://sbrand.teachable.com/
Our passion is facilitation, and we love to geek out with you about what works! So reach out to us. You can also follow us on Facebook, Linked In, and Instagram or at www.sbrandsolutions.com