Facilitating a mission statement

AdaptedfromFrankA.Prince,InvolvementSystems,Inc.

Missionstatementshavebecomemoreandmorepopularinthe
pastfivetotenyears.
Step1:Missionstatementicebreakerhaveeachparticipantteara
blanksheetofpaperoutofanotepad(81/2x11).Havethemget
inpairsandhaveonepartnerholdthesheetupwhiletheother
partnerplacestheirpalminthecenterofthepaperandtriedto
pressthroughandbreakthroughthepaper(withalotofdifficulty
andstruggling,eventuallytheywillbeabletopushthroughand
breakthepaperwiththeirhand).Next,havetheotherpartnerhold
theirsheetofpaperupandinsteadofusingtheirpalm,havethe
individualusethepointoftheirfingertopushthroughthepaper
(paperswillbebreakingquicklyandeasilyonthisround).Now
debrieftheactivity.Talkabouttheparallelsofcreatingamission
statementandfocusingtheourselvestowardagoal.
Step2:Haveeachindividualtakeablanksheetofpaperandwrite
downwhattheythinkthemissionstatementoftheirfavoritebrand
is.

.Youmayprovidethemwithsomeofthefollowingguidelines.
1.Themissionistheorganization'sreasonforbeing.
2.Themissionisdifferentthangoalsorobjectives.
3.Amissionisstatedasconciselyandclearlyaspossible.
4.Themissionshouldcontainafewofthemajorprioritiesofthe
organization.
5.Themissionstatementshouldbalanceboththeheadandthe
heart.

Step3:Havetheparticipantspairupandsharetheirmission
statement(thinkpairsharearoundtwominutes).Next,while
pairedupandusingtheirownmissionstatements,havethetwo
individualscreateamissionstatementthattheybothcanagreeon
fortheirgroup.
Step4:Haveeachpairjoinupwithanotherpairsothatthegroups
areinquadsandhavethisgroupoffoursharetheirmission
statementsandthencreateonemissionstatementthatallfourof
themcanbuyinto(thegroupswillbeginto"wordsmith"andmake
changesthatfitwithallmembersofthegroup).
Step5:Onceagain,havethegroupsoffourpairupwithanother
groupoffourandsharetheirmissionstatement.Createanother
missionstatementthatalleightcanagreeupon.
Step6:Continuethisprocessuntilyouaredowntotwogroups
whichcombineandcreateonemissionstatementsfortheentire
group.
Step7:Havethegroupreadthemissionstatementaloudinunison
(acheerandroundofapplauseshouldbeinorderafterthe
reading).
Step8:Haveeveryonewritedownthenewmissionstatementfor
thegroupintheirdayplanners,addressbooksorsomethingthat
theycarrywiththemwherevertheygooronagiantgroupflaglike
thesafespacecontract.

Followupwiththe