Improving Organizational Performance through Mission and Shared Values
Overview:
The development and communication of an organization's purpose and principles create a culture which promotes sustained organizational success.
Nearly twenty years after Collins and Porras wrote "Built to Last," organizational leaders are still struggling to its primary message, that mission, vision and values are the key drivers of continued excellent performance.
The convergence of globalization, technology and a cross-generational workforce has produced a business atmosphere where long-term strategic plans are quickly outdated and people are only partially motivated by salary and benefits. In the midst of this market upheaval, managers need distinct benchmarks which can guide daily decisions as well as future planning. One of the best ways to build this "hard" yet "soft" cultural nucleus is by the formulation of a clear and compelling mission and vision guided by core shared values. This combination of mission, vision and values is known as core ideology and is the primary shaper of organizational culture.
Core ideology enables those inside and outside the business to understand the purpose and principles driving the activity. It serves as a guide for organizational alignment enabling employees to recognize their role and connection to each other and the community. It outlines the parameters for personal behavior and customer service. It creates a way of working and interacting that becomes embedded in the company environment and transcends any individual person.
Arriving at this core ideology is not a simple task and must be accomplished with the appropriate inclusion of all major stakeholders. Further, it must be developed with a credible and rigorous process, integrated into all business operations and practices, and periodically assessed for effectiveness.
Why should you attend: Is your organization is burdened by the need for the executive team to micro-manage the workforce. Do you seem to be establishing and enforcing an endless number of policies? Are you struggling with low productivity in spite of hiring quality employees? The root of the problem may be the lack of engagement by the majority of staff to the primary purpose of the organization and their failure to align with its principles. Numerous studies have demonstrated that companies with clearly articulated and fully embedded mission and values regularly outperform their competitors. In today's rapidly changing and increasingly complex marketplace simply having a unique product, a creative sales strategy or charismatic leadership is not sufficient for sustained success.
The challenge for organizations is to be laser-focused on their purpose and connect employees activities to the accomplishment of that mission. In addition, well-defined principles must be disseminated at all levels to provide a touchstone for major and minor decisions.
Areas Covered in the Session:
- Defining core ideology
- The process of crafting purpose and principle statements
- Shaping corporate culture through core ideology
- Communicating and embedding purpose and principle
- Using purpose and principles to create a competitive advantage
- Assessing the organizational impact of purpose and principles
Who Will Benefit:
- Board Members
- Senior Executives
- HR Leaders
- Consultants