Among many of the catchphrases I’m famous for around Prosper Strategies HQ is “Show, don’t tell.” As an example, I like to say, “I’m a famous actress.”
Everyone looks at me with blank stares … some people laugh out loud.
I go on to tell them, of course I’m not a famous actress because you’ve never seen me in any movie titles; I’ve never won an Academy Award; I’m just little ‘ole Lindsay Mullen. I say all of this to demonstrate the point that actions speak louder than words. Showing what you do and who you are is always better than telling what you do.
You can be innovative, unique, groundbreaking, game-changing and even MISSION-DRIVEN, but what are the actions that show you are in fact all of these things? Authenticity is the basis of developing and communicating a mission that really matters and, most importantly, a mission that drives change.
So, how do you build a mission that matters?
Live: Your mission is the fabric of who you are as a company. In order to have a mission that matters, you need to put your desire to create positive change at the center of everything you do. This means your mission is your gut check for hiring, firing, expanding, launching new products and taking on new clients. Because your mission is so central to who you are, what you do and every decision that’s made within your organization, everyone must know your mission and how it applies to their role.
Imbibe: Your mission is overflowing! In fact, when you have a mission that really matters, your mission pours out of your organization. People see it, they read, they understand it and associate it with your organization because your undeniable passion around your cause is impossible to miss.
Exude: Share your mission through the stories of the people, the places and the things you impact. This is the real SHOW. If you are a mission-driven organization at your heart, the proof is in the pudding. You communicate your impact by showcasing your impact and, through these stories, inspiring others to join your cause.
So how do some of our mission-driven clients showcase their mission-driven philosophy? I’ll share their missions, and then describe how they are carrying them out through actions.
Mango Languages’ core purpose is to enrich lives through language and culture. How are they doing this? Their lovable language learning resources are available to patrons for free through more than 2,700 public libraries, and they’ve developed the first-of-its-kind product to teach language through film, also available for free. Anyone who visits a library where Mango Languages is available has the opportunity to experience more than 60 colorful and vibrant foreign language courses spanning from Spanish to Swahili, English to Icelandic, and Punjabi to Pirate. When people are enriched through language and it’s no longer a barrier, there truly are no boundaries, and that’s what Mango is about.
Mind Gym is a global consultancy with the goal of helping people achieve more at work and in daily their lives simply by opening them up to new ways of thinking. How does this goal manifest itself in what they do? They’ve launched a new book, Mind Gym: Achieve More by Thinking Differently, to bring the knowledge they’ve gleaned from more than 1,200 companies worldwide, including nearly 50 percent of the Fortune 100 companies, to help everyday people live longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives. They are making an impact one company, one employee and one reader at a time.
Finally, ThinkCERCA, started by the former director of curriculum for the Chicago Public Schools, is committed to helping students achieve college and career readiness. Studies show that nearly half of students who graduate high school aren’t prepared with the literacy skills they need to succeed. ThinkCERCA has built a product to give schools and teachers a framework for literacy instruction and the development of students’ critical thinking skills. The company has a free product any teacher, parent or student can access, which is currently in in use by 5,250 schools nationwide. Schools using their technology have seen marked improvements in students’ literacy achievement. Using technology to empower teachers and equip students with the skills they need is essential to the success of tomorrow’s leaders.
These companies have their mission at the center of everything they do. This mission serves as their guidepost for making progress toward their goals and achieving meaningful impact.
So, what is your mission? And, more importantly, how will you show it? Not sure if your marketing is mission-driven? Take our quiz to find out and check out our blog post: Is your mission really ingrained in your marketing? Five questions to ask. Not sure if it even really matters? Read our post on Why today’s mission-drive companies are tomorrow’s market leaders.
Photo Credit: Cynthia Lou, Creative Commons via Flickr
