I think you’ll find that these conversations are enlightening, as they offer perspective on each team member’s mindset and how they define success. And the process of narrowing down to a set of five agreed-upon values can help galvanize and empower members of your team, because everyone feels that they’d had a chance to contribute something.

Craft your mission statement

Now that you have devised a values system for your team, you can begin crafting a mission statement that aligns those values with the actions and behaviors of your team. The mission statement should provide a clear, compelling, and memorable description of the reason your business exists.

One example I like to share with teams is Walt Disney’s mission statement:

The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds and innovative technologies that make ours the world’s premier entertainment company.

Notice how certain values are incorporated into what Disney stands for, such as inspire and innovate. In capturing what makes the company unique, the statement focuses on areas such as unparalleled storytelling and innovative technologies. These concepts feed directly into how members of Disney’s team hold each other accountable for creating some of the world’s most recognized entertainment.

With the Disney example as inspiration, here are some questions you can use with your team to craft your firm’s mission statement:

• What problem are we helping to solve?
• Who is our ideal client?
• What uniqueness separates us from our competitors?
• What are the values we want to communicate about how we serve our clients?

Create your vision statement

Whereas your mission statement focuses on what you do as a team, your vision statement identifies what you aspire to be as a team. It is meant to align team members around a unified direction so there is focus, clarity, and intention in their daily actions.

In the examples below, notice how the companies’ vision statements do not mention products or services; rather, they are aligned around a common theme or goal that stems from a transformational concept rather than a check-the-box exercise.

Google – To provide access to the world’s information in one click.

Nike – To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.

Apple – To make the best products on earth and to leave the world better than we found it.

In my experience, teams that have taken the time to create their vision statement find a way to support each other when times get tough. They understand how to prioritize their time as they have a common aspirational goal. They feel a connection to what they do each day, because they feel they are contributing to the team’s success rather than simply performing tasks.

Here are some questions your team can review together to create a vision statement:

• What is our core focus?
• Who, what, or where does our team want to be in the future?
• What is our team’s unique differentiator?

A challenge: What kind of team do you want to be?

Here is a challenge I encourage you to present to your team: Do we want to be transactional or transformational?

A transactional team can have the knowledge and skills that allows them to succeed in accomplishing some of their goals. A transformational team can take what they know and build an environment focused on an emotional connection to each other, their clients, and their prospects. Transformational teams create a culture of purpose where members approach each day with intentionality, knowing they are contributing to the value and impact you provide together.

It’s your choice as a team which you want to be known for, so choose wisely…

Should you need assistance in creating your culture of purpose, feel free to reach out and we can answer any questions or support you in building out the pieces that will galvanize your team toward what you aspire to be together in the future.