Three ways to make this year a mission-driven success.
There seems to be a collective sense that 2022 is the year of new things. For many, it’s new programs and new goals to correct a couple of tough years. No more borrowing to avoid bad bottom lines and just making it through. We know our purpose and have our plan.
The problem is people aren’t passionate about the bottom line or delivering on expectations. They’re passionate about why you do the work. Make it a mission-driven year. In doing so, you will unify and activate your people to achieve big goals and make a meaningful impact in your community.
3 Ways to Make it a Mission-Driven Year and Achieve Big Goals
- Lead by example to show what mission-driven work looks like. Whether you’re the CEO, director or shift leader, you have a picture in your mind of what it looks like to live out the mission of the organization. Bring that picture to life when you speak to people, engage in meetings and respond to difficult circumstances. Leading by example is a popular leadership teaching because it helps others put behaviors on how to achieve the desired state or abstract concept. An example and invitation for people to follow you as you work to serve the mission has a multiplying effect on spreading the culture and impact you seek to create.
- Communicate how the current goals and objectives drive the mission forward. Beyond showing, tell everyone how what they do today makes a difference. Whether it’s a safety initiative or sales drive, ultimately its purpose and success should be to advance the mission. Connect the dots for your members, volunteers and staff to motivate them to take action. Do this by including these three things in your communications. Provide how it ties to the mission, a real-life story, and an action that moves the needle on goals and objectives.
- Send people out with a clear understanding of what success looks like. Be clear about what is expected and why it matters. At the same time, provide the support they need, such as the resources, tools and problem-solving to get the job done. More than anything, they need to know you care about them regardless of the result. When people know you care they are much more invested and interested in being successful. And the best way to do that is by showing them and telling them all along the way.
Make it a mission-driven year when you connect with people and connect them to the mission with your words and actions. And make sure you are successful by activating them to achieve big goals for a greater purpose, with that purpose always in mind.
