Years ago, I worked for a company that had a Corporate Creed. And a Mission Statement. And a Vision Statement.
And they took them all veeeery seriously.
All managers had to have a copy of the Creed, Mission and Vision Statements clearly visible in their offices. To that end, we were given a choice of a free-standing desk model or a (larger) framed version to hang on your office wall. Naturally, I raised a purchase order to have my copy carved on three slabs of malachite and I was very put out when my boss wouldn't sign off on it.
The company handbook stated that all managers had to have a copy of these documents "prominently displayed" in their offices; plus, of course, there was the really big copy, about two metres across, that stood behind the receptionist's desk. I raised a PO for one of those bad boys too ... but apparently, you had to be a receptionist to get one. So I had to make do with my little brass-framed, fake vellum version sitting on my wall.
Naturally, on our performance management system, adherence to, and demonstrable embodiment of, the Creed/Mission/Vision was a job standard against which all manager grades were measured on a quarterly, and annual, basis. Like I said, they took this stuff veeeery seriously.
So seriously in fact, that when the VP for Human Resources for EMEA [Europe Middle East Africa] came a-visiting one year, I noted with keen anticipation that he had included the Creed/Mission/Vision as a key element in his presentation to the assembled managers and directors of the company. And what stirring stuff that turned out to be! The St Crispin's Day speech from Henry V wasn't a patch on this guy ...
I also noted, that as he left us that afternoon, he popped his head into each manager's office along the two corridors where we all worked. Ostensibly, this was to say a cheery, "Goodbye," but when it came to my turn, I noticed that his eyes spent very little time in contact with mine. Rather, they swept around my office, in search of something. And when his gaze alighted on my framed, wall-mounted, Creed/Mission/Vision he flashed me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and said, "Cheerio Robo!"
It seemed to me that he was proceeding down the two corridors, mentally ticking his list of those who had the Creed/Mission/Vision "prominently displayed." Now, this gentleman was some unthinkable number of grades above me in the corporation. He had a company car and a full-time driver! To my mind, he also couldn't have had a particularly demanding job.
At that time, the corporation had just conducted a global employee satisfaction survey, which had produced the lowest set of scores ever seen by the company which conducted the survey. The Ireland-UK numbers were the lowest for the whole company. Evidently, our VP for HR felt that a significant contributor to this appalling morale might be that some managers did not have their Creed/Mission/Vision on sufficiently prominent display ...
Do yourself a favour and watch Guy Kawasaki's Art of the Start presentation - even if you've seen it before. He talks about the difference between a Creed/Mission/Vision and a Mantra (this bit starts at about 6:20 into the presentation) and his conclusions are both hilarious and irrefutable.
And they took them all veeeery seriously.
All managers had to have a copy of the Creed, Mission and Vision Statements clearly visible in their offices. To that end, we were given a choice of a free-standing desk model or a (larger) framed version to hang on your office wall. Naturally, I raised a purchase order to have my copy carved on three slabs of malachite and I was very put out when my boss wouldn't sign off on it.
The company handbook stated that all managers had to have a copy of these documents "prominently displayed" in their offices; plus, of course, there was the really big copy, about two metres across, that stood behind the receptionist's desk. I raised a PO for one of those bad boys too ... but apparently, you had to be a receptionist to get one. So I had to make do with my little brass-framed, fake vellum version sitting on my wall.
Naturally, on our performance management system, adherence to, and demonstrable embodiment of, the Creed/Mission/Vision was a job standard against which all manager grades were measured on a quarterly, and annual, basis. Like I said, they took this stuff veeeery seriously.
So seriously in fact, that when the VP for Human Resources for EMEA [Europe Middle East Africa] came a-visiting one year, I noted with keen anticipation that he had included the Creed/Mission/Vision as a key element in his presentation to the assembled managers and directors of the company. And what stirring stuff that turned out to be! The St Crispin's Day speech from Henry V wasn't a patch on this guy ...
I also noted, that as he left us that afternoon, he popped his head into each manager's office along the two corridors where we all worked. Ostensibly, this was to say a cheery, "Goodbye," but when it came to my turn, I noticed that his eyes spent very little time in contact with mine. Rather, they swept around my office, in search of something. And when his gaze alighted on my framed, wall-mounted, Creed/Mission/Vision he flashed me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes and said, "Cheerio Robo!"
It seemed to me that he was proceeding down the two corridors, mentally ticking his list of those who had the Creed/Mission/Vision "prominently displayed." Now, this gentleman was some unthinkable number of grades above me in the corporation. He had a company car and a full-time driver! To my mind, he also couldn't have had a particularly demanding job.
At that time, the corporation had just conducted a global employee satisfaction survey, which had produced the lowest set of scores ever seen by the company which conducted the survey. The Ireland-UK numbers were the lowest for the whole company. Evidently, our VP for HR felt that a significant contributor to this appalling morale might be that some managers did not have their Creed/Mission/Vision on sufficiently prominent display ...
Do yourself a favour and watch Guy Kawasaki's Art of the Start presentation - even if you've seen it before. He talks about the difference between a Creed/Mission/Vision and a Mantra (this bit starts at about 6:20 into the presentation) and his conclusions are both hilarious and irrefutable.
2 comments:
Rowan:
Well put!
I test the sophistication, hipness and organizational IQ of a firm by the degree of emphasis that they place on mission statements that appear to have been purchased from a mass manufacturer, complete with narrative as deep as Ms. Spears lyrics. More often than not, it's vomit inducing material that could overwhelm any vomitorium - if enough chaps were present!
robert edward cenek, RODP
www.cenekreport.com
Uncommon Commentary on the World of Work
Yep. I liked "Beat Xerox" - Canon's unequivocal statment of purpose back in the day.
The other problem with these Mission Statements is that they tend to run roughshod over local beliefs and attitudes and customs. Just because Coke, Nike and Budweiser have successfully globalised their message doesn't mean that you can ram your 5 Points of Commitment down the throats of employees in Ulan Bator and expect them to like it / live it / believe it.
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