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Writer's pictureChris Thompson

Top lessons from an MD: 3. Company missions are crucial for driving success

After many years leading teams and supporting a range of businesses, Firebird Director Chris Thompson is sharing some of his top lessons. Read on for the last of a three-part series including actionable tips for owners and MDs. To start at part one – on enhancing leadership to enhance work cultures – click here.

Building on my last article – which explored the impact of clarity and communication on work cultures and productivity – I want to round off this mini series with a close look at company missions.

 

Though some might view a mission as something abstract, or contrived/cheesy, with little bearing on workplaces day-to-day, my recent experience has been the opposite. In fact, a well-defined mission is crucial for driving company success and employee engagement. It provides a sense of purpose and direction, helping to align efforts and ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals.

“Start by outlining your company’s core values and purpose”

Right at the start, including your team in the mission-setting process will enhance buy-in and motivation for them once that mission is fully in place – it will also give you diverse perspectives for ideas you might otherwise not have considered. Strategies for mission-setting include hosting workshops, brainstorming sessions, and open forums where team members can share their ideas and contribute to the mission statement itself.

 

When it comes to crafting that statement, start by outlining your company’s core values and purpose. Keep the statement clear, concise and inspirational. Think about who you serve as a business and where you provide them with real value. Ensure it not only reflects your company’s aspirations, but also the needs of its employees and customers.

 

Examples of strong Mission Statements:

 

Booking.com: "To make it easier for everyone to experience the world." This is really clear and creates a sense of purpose that can underpin business decisions. If a project or initiative doesn’t help to achieve that mission it’s probably not the right thing to do.

 

Away Resorts: "To create unique and memorable holiday experiences for families, ensuring every guest enjoys a fabulous break at our stunning UK holiday parks." Again, this gives a business a template against which to judge their actions – if work supports this mission, it’s likely to be a good use of people’s time.

 

Another example of a business doing this well is the clothing company Patagonia, which achieved significant growth by focusing on a shared mission that committed to environmental sustainability. In an interview with Forbes, Patagonia’s Director Corley Kenna described how: “To evolve a brand, you have to take your community on the journey with you.” The business has been thriving as a result, with positive impacts on employee engagement, customer loyalty and overall business performance.

 

Similarly, a business I spend a lot of time in is OVO Network. The business focuses on, in their words: “Unique Chalets in Authentic Destinations”. They have understood that with evolving markets and the impacts of climate change, their Alpine destinations have some big challenges to tackle over the coming years. In response to that, OVO Network is dedicated to proactively supporting the future of these mountain communities, championing sustainable tourism across all seasons. This in turn diminishes the dependence on winter sports and tackles the threat of “cold beds”. The aim is to invigorate mountain destinations, generating benefits for everyone involved.

“Meet regularly to discuss how your mission aligns with current strategies”

Creating a company mission is by no means the end of the process. Instead it is something to be regularly reassessed and realigned, to keep things relevant and inspiring. Again, leaders should aim to involve employees, conducting periodic reviews, gathering feedback from team members, and making any necessary adjustments along the way.

 

I recommend scheduling regular meetings to discuss your mission and how it aligns with current business strategies. Use these meetings to celebrate achievements and address challenges, as well as to encourage open dialogue and active participation from all team members. By documenting the outcomes of these meetings, teams can follow up on actionable items to maintain and encourage continuous alignment.

 

Most readers can probably think of businesses where either a lack of a mission, or it becoming a dusty catchphrase that nobody refers to, has created issues. From my perspective, this can often be the result of M&A activity in the travel sector. A business gets purchased based on its brand and financial performance, then somewhere down the line the mission, identity and positioning underpinning that brand are lost in a drive to find synergies and savings.

“Integrate your mission into daily operations and decision-making processes”

For maximum impact across the business, you will also need to break down the company mission into specific, actionable mission-driven goals for different departments and teams. This way they can be integrated to align with daily operations and decision-making processes. As referenced in my previous blog, OKRs can be enormously powerful here.

 

To create an entirely fictional example (although I quite like the idea!) if I have a business called “Cycle Through History” that runs small group cycling tours in former Eastern Bloc countries my mission might be:

 

“Offer immersive historical cycling tours in former Eastern Bloc countries, combining adventure with cultural exploration. We aim to inspire discovery and foster connections through sustainable travel.”

 

OKRs relating to this could include:


Objective 1: Expand Brand Awareness and Market Presence

 

  • Key Result 1: Increase social media followers by 50% across all platforms (Instagram, Facebook, X) by the end of the year.

  • Key Result 2: Launch a referral program and achieve a 20% increase in new customers through referrals.

  • Key Result 3: Partner with at least five travel influencers to create content showcasing our tours.

  • Key Result 4: Attend and exhibit at three major travel and tourism trade shows.

 

Objective 2: Expand Tour Destinations


  • Key Result 1: Identify and develop three new tour routes in lesser-known former Eastern Bloc destinations.

  • Key Result 2: Establish partnerships with local tour guides and historians in the new destinations.

  • Key Result 3: Achieve a 70% booking rate for new tour routes within the first six months of launch.

  • Key Result 4: Secure at least three local community endorsements or partnerships for each new tour destination.

 

Track progress frequently, ensuring strategies are adjusted as needed to stay on course – and that people know when they are on (or off) the right path. Contributions that help advance the mission should be recognised and rewarded.

Actionable tips for leaders

1. Revisit your company mission – or develop it!


Start by outlining your company’s core values and purpose. Involve key stakeholders in brainstorming sessions to gather diverse perspectives. Keep the mission statement clear, concise and inspirational. Ensure it reflects both the company's aspirations and the needs of its employees and customers.


2. Regularly review and align your mission


Use opportunities to celebrate achievements, address challenges and gather feedback.


3. Integrate mission-driven goals into daily operations


Break down the mission into specific, actionable goals for different departments and teams. Track progress regularly and adjust strategies as needed to stay on course.


4. Engage and inspire your team


Create opportunities for team members to contribute to the mission-setting process. Ensure that everyone understands how their role contributes to the mission and the broader goals of the organisation.

 

Hopefully some of the tips and ideas in this series will spark useful new discussions and action plans for your business. And the conversation doesn't stop here. If you'd like to know more or talk further about developing your work culture, mission statement and more, get in touch at www.firebirdpartnership.com/contact-us 

 

Chris Thompson is a Director of the Firebird Partnership, with almost 20 years’ experience of leading and growing businesses in the travel and tech sectors. His focus is on creating strategy, building teams, and devising processes that are both efficient and value-building.

 

Learn all about Firebird at www.firebirdpartnership.com


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