Develop a Mission Statement

Mission statements describe the purpose of an organization or department, which in short provides a summary of why this organization or department exists. Like visions, mission statements should define the organization and inspire the employees. The mission should not be too vague or easily forgotten. Too many organizations work hard to develop vision and mission statements, then allow them to become simply framed paper hanging on the wall. An effective mission statement must be expressed clearly in a single, brief paragraph and in a language that everyone understands. When employees participate in the development of mission statements, they understand why organization exists and why their work is important. This greatly increases the chance that they will do their best to bring the companys mission and vision to life. For this assignment, you will imagine a hypothetical organization or department for which you will develop a mission statement. Using a healthcare organization would be appropriate for this course but is not mandatory. You may imagine a hospital, nursing home, laboratory, urgent care, or any number of other settings.

Assume you are the department manager within your setting. As the manager, you will: 1. Describe your organization or department. Be creative! 2. Write a mission statement for the organization or department, provide a clear and appropriate description of why the organization or department exists.

Ensure that your mission statement answers four critical questions: 1. Do you know where you want to be 5 years from now? 2. Is the mission clearly expressed in a single paragraph? 3. Is the statement expressed in a language that a 10th grader can understand? 4. Will the mission be believable to everyone in the organization or department?