If you haven't read part 1 yet, make sure to check it out here.
Before you read any further, watch this video on creating a real mission statement that ignites people. We know you'll love it. We laughed out loud. That's right! There was some LOL here at Ignite Spot. It's also full of great tips that apply to today's post.
Welcome to part 2 of our series Create a Great Business Culture 101, where we talk about all of the benefits of creating a healthy environment. The ultimate goal of any healthy organization is to enhance productivity, efficiency, and loyalty. And how do we get there? By remembering to implement our three key factors into creating a healthy foundation.
This week we’re going to jump into discussing the importance of value alignment. Your firm’s values are those which make your mission statement an active statement; not a passive one. By establishing values, you address your mission statement in smaller segments that continuously support your overall reason for being.
For example, here at Ignite Spot Outsourced Accounting, our mission statement is:
“We’re the accountants addicted to growing your business. Everyday we wake up and make other accountants wish they had our super powers. We rock at making our clients profitable."
Our values include things like:
The point of establishing values is to guide your firm toward your mission statement in a consistent, holistic way. So how do you support your values? The best way is to align them with everyday tasks. Consider these ideas:
With every task, goal and email, is there motivation to support the mission statement? Is it representing the core reason that the company was created? Rather than taking on dozens of new clients because it will bring in revenue, contemplate whether or not it will support the foundation on which the company was built? Will it still allow you to, for example, save your clients 40%-60% off staffing costs? Use your values to help you determine whether or not you’re actively representing your firm’s mission, even in the smallest, most mundane activities.
Skip the boring Monday morning meetings, and get your team together to participate in a mission discussion. Rather than discuss topics like quotas and prospects, have a meeting based solely on how everyone is individually and collectively living the values of the company. If you need to discuss something like sales prospects, make sure that all ideas and results tie to your values and are mission-focused.
Make sure to clearly and consistently communicate your mission both to your team, your clients, and yourself. Mission statements are put in place as a reminder of why we’re here, and sometimes you need a reminder of that. Whether it’s through email, in person, or with big banners hanging everywhere, make it known! People absorb things differently and while an accountant in our team may retain more from an email, a salesperson might be better hearing it in person.
The point of aligning values is to make sure that they’re recognized in your tasks day in and day out. A healthy culture requires a set of values that remind you of why you’re in business. They continuously increase productivity and focus.
Stay tuned next week for the last portion of our series, Create a Great Business Culture 101, when we discuss the steps behind creating an excellent support system.
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