Perhaps a way out of this political quagmire we have got
ourselves into is to develop and adopt a mission statement for America. One might argue that we have such in our
Declaration of Independence and Constitution, but what we don't have is a
concise, easily grasped statement of what our mission is, and what we envision
for ourselves.
Since
retiring eight years ago, I have been devoting considerable time and energy to
four not-for-profit enterprises, two of which have highly-evolved processes of
mission-driven planning. For example,
Horizon House's mission statement provides the guidance principle from which all else follows:
Horizon House is a dynamic retirement community dedicated to dignified
aging,
life
fulfillment and service to the broader community.
From this are derived Horizon House's long-term goals. From those, the strategies and then short-term objectives and action plans. But in all four organizations, the benefit of a clearly understood
mission provides a keel and rudder for their activities (an apt
metaphor, as one of them is the Mount Baker Rowing Club.)
Mission-driven organizations thrive, as my experience
attests and as Jim Collins' Stanford studies demonstrate. Whether for-profit or not-for-profit,
strongly held missions nourish and sustain success.
It works for
people, too; I have a personal mission
statement. Soon after retiring and
feeling rather at a loss at having no deadlines to meet or projects to
complete, I listened to Scott Oki talk at a charity luncheon about his first few years in
retirement. He said he had felt a bit aimless. Then, he realized that for Microsoft he had helped
Gates craft a succinct mission statement and helped define their long term goals
derived therefrom; "to put a
computer on every desk and in every home" became the guiding light for
the first three decades of Microsoft's success. For the retired Oki, that realization was a flash
of insight: he needed a mission statement for Scott Oki's retirement. So he sat down, took stock of himself, and
wrote one.
Oki's light
bulb went off in my head at that luncheon. Ann and I were
leaving for a ski trip a few days later.
Over three or four evenings, I thought through and crafted my own
mission statement. It has guided me in
retirement ever since. Fletch Waller's
mission is:
First,
to enrich Ann's and my shared lives. Second,
to increase the effectiveness of
selected
service organizations by investing time and my experience in analysis,
marketing
and management of innovation.
Ever since
drafting and adopting that mission, my retirement has been happy, busy and
fully rewarding.
Mission-driven
enterprises (and people) have a touchstone for setting priorities and resolving
competing demands on resources. Mission
statements help balance interests of various, sometimes conflicting
constituencies. Mission statements
remind members of the organization or enterprise what they are about. Mission statements create community and common
cause.
From mission
are derived long term goals and strategies, and from them, short term
objectives which represent mile-posts along the way.
So what
about a Mission Statement for America, an effort to collect from diverse
interests viewpoints on what we aspire to be and do? As hard as it might be to reach consensus on
a single, succinct mission statement would not the effort create exchange,
conversation and listening to one another?
And if we could coalesce around a simple statement of purpose, would
that not help counter the polarization that has torn us apart and be antidote
to the sense of impotence that infects so many fellow citizens?
Here's my
first crack at one:
America welcomes and empowers citizens to reach their full potential, protecting
them, freeing them, encouraging them and
supporting them to pursue their dreams
and ambitions.
If you want
to play, don't send me e-mails; just hit the comment below. You may be asked to open a Google
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