Inside Out
Business Edition
"You can't change the direction of the wind. . .
but you can adjust your sails!"
--Jimmy Dean

Kim Olver, MS, NCC, LPC

www.Coachingforexcellence.biz
Kim@Coachingforexcellence.biz

To read our blog click here or go to www.coachingforexcellence.biz and click on "Blog" on the left hand navigation bar. Read some of Kim's musings and add some of your own!

A Message from Kim

It's really getting down to the wire and I need your help. We are doing everything possible to make September 14, 2006 the day that our book, Leveraging Diversity at Work, makes the Amazon.com bestseller list. What we really need right now are people who work with businesses and have email lists of business contacts. If you can give us a name or make an introduction, I would be extremely grateful. We need people who are willing to send out the email notice of our book being on sale to their customers. Their customers will greatly benefit because not only will they receive the book at a reduced price, they will receive a very nice bundle of free bonus gifts if they purchase on September 14th. If you know anyone who can help us, we will send you a free, autographed copy of Leveraging Diversity at Work. Thanks in advance for all your help.

I hope you enjoy our first plain-text issue. We are sending Inside Out to you this way because the HTML version frequently gets caught up in spam filters and doesn't reach our readers. The HTML version can still be seen however by going to www.coachingforexcellence.biz/Newsletter.htm.

In This Issue

Feature Article
Mission, Vision and Values

Upcoming Events
FREE Teleclasses
Chat Room

Quote of the Week
"Everyone has the power for greatness, not for fame but for greatness,
because greatness is determined by service."--Martin Luther King, Jr.

Book Review
Full Steam Ahead! Unleash the Power of Vision in Your Work and Your Life
Ken Blanchard and Jesse Stoner

Tip of the Week

Business Q&A

Reports & eBooks

Check our New Book!
Leveraging Diversity At Work

About Kim Olver

Feature Article

Mission, Vision and Values
by Kim Olver

A great deal has been written in business literature about how critical it is for a company to have a mission statement. Many companies jumped on board with this idea and created a mission statement. Some did it collectively with employees and stakeholders and some simply held an executive committee meeting and created a mission statement for the company.

Whatever the situation, I believe that most companies were unable to sustain the excitement of having a vision of where they were going and a mission of why they are in business. In fact, I think there are very few employees who can articulate their company’s vision or mission statement.

A couple of weeks ago, I received a phone call from a client asking me if I would develop a year’s worth of leadership trainings for their mid-level managers. During our conversations, I asked what types of topics they would be interested in. I was told that their managers were really at a basic level. They had basically been promoted from direct line staff and given no transition training for the past five years!

That’s when I asked the big question. Does your agency have a mission statement? The person on the other end of the phone got really quiet and then finally said, “You know, I honestly don’t know.” At this point I knew that whether or not the company had a vision and mission statement didn’t really matter if the employees don’t know what it is.

When you have a good vision and mission statement in a company, everyone knows why the company is in business and in what direction it is going. I believe one of the best books that will guide a company through the process is Full Steam Ahead! Unleash the Power of Vision in Your Work and Your and Life by Ken Blanchard Jesse Stoner. They say that “in order for organizations to be fully powered, the leaders need to know how to create a compelling vision that resonates with the hopes and dreams of those in the organization.”

Mission Statement:

The first element of a dynamic vision is to clearly articulate what the company’s purpose is. It describes why they are in business and usually translates into the good they are doing in the world. Coaching for Excellence is not in the business of leadership coaching and staff development. We are in the business of helping leaders develop skills to be more effective with those they supervise by placing equal value on relationships with employees and the quality of the product or service.

You want your mission statement to be written from the point of view of your clientele. What benefits do they get from the product or service you provide? What’s in it for them?

Once you have your mission statement, everyone in the company needs to personally figure out what they contribute to the mission. How does their job support the mission of the company? The mission should be designed so that everyone in your company becomes excited and energized at the thought of fulfilling their part.

Values:

The next step is to discuss company values. Values will help determine how the mission statement will be supported. The company must clearly articulate what values are important in living out the company’s purpose.

When values are written, employees should know exactly what it looks like when they are living the company values. Behavioral examples are important.

When an organization has taken the time to outline their values, then they can hold people accountable for behaving in line with the values and people who are interviewing for a job can make a conscious decision to accept an offer based on whether or not their values are compatible with the company’s values.

Blanchard and Stoner write, “There’s a lot of power in values. I think it’s because values tap into people’s feelings. People cherish their values and are deeply emotional about them. When they act in support of their values, they are proud of their actions. . .Values serve as the driving force behind purpose. Values supply the energy and excitement that help people remain committed when the going gets tough.”

Vision:

A company’s vision describes its direction for the future. As Coaching for Excellence’s Empowered Leadership teaches us, there is much more energy associated with working toward what a person wants, as opposed to what he doesn’t want so a vision statement must be expressed positively.

Once you have a map describing where you are going, it’s easy to know what to do next. As goals are accomplished, the next goals come into focus.

Blanchard and Stoner enumerate eight elements of a compelling vision:

• Helps us understand what business we’re really in
• Provides guidelines that help us make daily decisions
• Provides a picture of the desired future that we can actually see
• Is enduring
• Is about being “great”—not expressed solely in numbers
• Touches the hearts and spirits of everyone
• Helps each person see how he or she can contribute

If your company wants to develop a strong vision statement, start today. Begin with conversations about why you are in business, but don’t end there. Develop the mission, the values and vision and then keep the excitement alive by continuously talking about it.

Copyright © August 2006 Kim Olver. All rights reserved

NOTICE: This article is free and can be copied and reproduced
as long as the copyright and bio is included at the bottom of the article

*Click Here or to read some of Kim's other articles*

Upcoming Events

Teleclasses
(Times in EST)

All teleclasses are one (1) hour in length and all you need is a telephone. When you register we will send you a phone number that you will call five minutes prior to the start of your teleclass. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, but if you prefer to just listen that’s all right too. You do not need a computer or Internet, only a telephone. Don’t delay. There are a limited number of slots available.

The following Teleclasses are FREE

Celebrate Diversity
August 29, 2006 -- 9:00 - 10:00

Do you maintain a diverse workforce in your place of business? Do you celebrate diversity? Would you like to learn how to create a diverse workplace that embraces diversity? Register for this call and learn how creating a diverse workforce in your place of business can increase your bottom line and create a more pleasant work environment for you, your co-workers and your employees.

Empowered Leadership
September 26, 2006 -- 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.

How would you like your leaders to be more effective? How would you like to create a work environment that is empowering to your employees? Register for this call and learn the skills necessary to create an empowered workforce for both management and your employees.

Choice Theory & Reality Therapy
October 3, 2006 -- 9:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Stop wasting your time attempting to control others and in the process becoming someone you don’t recognize. Discover how when you learn how to focus on your own behavior, you become empowered, more effective and ultimately improve the relationships in your life. Register for this call now and discover how you can be happier and more satisfied by making some adjustment in what you are doing. It’s a very exciting journey!

Anger Management (De-escalation Skills)
October 11, 2006 -- 9:00 -10:00 p.m.

Are you someone who is confronted with angry people in the course of your life? Spouses, children, extended family members, neighbors, community members who have tempers and like to yell at you? Want to learn ways to take the wind out their sails and have them communicating more cooperatively? Then this class is for you!

Goal Setting & Attainment
December 27, 2006 -- Offered at two times for your convenience:
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
9:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Come on now; are you serious this time about keeping those New Year’s resolutions? Let’s really get serious about setting those goals for next year. This teleclass will give you a time-proven system for setting and actually attaining those New Year’s resolutions. No more excuses. Register for this call today. All you need is a telephone. Once you register, we will email you a phone number that you will call five minutes prior to the start of this class. You will have the opportunity to ask questions, but if you prefer to just listen that’s all right too. You do not need a computer or Internet, only a telephone. Don’t delay. There are a limited number of slots available. Click here to register for this informative class.

Chat Room

Kim will be available in her chat room for questions
and dialog on the following dates and times:

August 22, 2006 -- 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
August 29, 2006 -- 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
September 5, 2006 -- 7:30- 8:30 p.m.
September 12, 2006 -- 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
September 19, 2006 -- 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.
September 26, 2006 -- 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Quote of the Week

Book Review

Full Steam Ahead! Unleash the Power of Vision in Your Work and Your Life
Ken Blanchard and Jesse Stoner

Full Steam Ahead! is the best book I have read to chart the course for a company to create a compelling vision statement. Done in typical Blanchard-style, this book uses storytelling to make its points. The author writes about her association with her mentor, Jim, and how together they uncovered the elements of a compelling vision. (See the article above.)

The authors then go beyond what I wrote above to discuss how you must live each moment fully to be able to get to the future. If you spend all your time planning for the future, then you miss what is happening in the moment. "Vision without being present is like having your head in the clouds. Holding the present without vision is like being stuck in the mud. . . Learn form the past, plan for the future, and live in the present. In other words: Live your vision now."

They then talk about how important it is to have a personal mission and vision. In your personal life, what do you believe about your life purpose? What are the values by which you live your life? Take the time to figure that out and you will be able to live your life deliberately, on purpose.

Blanchard and Stoner write, "Vision is a lot more than putting a plaque on the wall. A real vision is lived, not framed." They then go on to explain that a vision must be actively communicated over time to sustain the level of excitement. It is an ongoing process that must continually be discussed. If you are looking for a guide to help you lead your company to developing a mission and vision statement, then this book is it.

Click here to order this book

Tip of the Week

Once your company has developed its mission and mission, then it is helpful to develop a tag line that summarizes it and makes it easy for your employees to remember. Perhaps they can even carry it around with them. A mission and vision mean nothing if it doesn't resonate with the people who are entrusted to carry it out. People interviewing for a job with the company need to know the mission and vision. Managers need to hold their workers accountable for living in accordance with the mission and vision of the company. It needs to be a living, breathing agreement of how the company will make its way in the world. Ongoing discussion is essential to its survival and perpetuation.

Business Q&A

Question: We are planning to get together to write our company's mission statement. Who should be a part of that process?

Answer: It is important to allow everyone the chance to participate in the development of your mission statement. If you have less than 30 employees, then I think it would be manageable to work on the mission with all of them. However, if you have more than 30 employees, then it might be more practical to have departmental meetings. During these meetings, the department heads can meet with those they supervise to obtain their input regarding the development of the company's mission and report the results to the executive session.

Top of Page

Copyright © August 16, 2006 Kim Olver. All rights reserved.