There are two kinds of people in the world – those who love mission statements and those who hate them. I hate them. For me, crafting a mission statement ranks somewhere near vision boards and manifestos on my “things that are a waste of time” list. (Yes, I have a list. Or I would if having the list weren’t also on the list.)
The reason mission statements are a waste of time isn’t because they can’t be valuable. It’s because we write them without clearly understanding why. We don’t have a purpose, other than “all good leaders do it”.
Two things mission statements and declarations have in common (and one they don’t)
To hold ourselves to our purpose in writing down our vision, we decided to toss out the mission statement in favor of something more meaningful to us – a declaration.
A declaration is similar to a mission statement in a few ways. They both help you understand your highest priorities and quickly communicate that to someone else. But a declaration has something even the best mission statements don’t have – a bias toward action (hat tip to Scott Belsky for introducing us to that concept).
When you create your nation’s declaration, you are not simply writing down everything you believe and why you believe it. You are declaring your true intentions and your plan to back up those intentions with clear and focused action. You are inviting other people to take action with you. You are clearly stating that you are committed and able to back up your commitment with whatever it takes to create the vision you want to see in the world.
THE TWO TYPES OF DECLARATIONS
There are two types of declarations. One is an overall declaration that covers the entire, broad-scope vision of your company. We put together one of these for Treacy’s nation when we first started her project. Each of us signed our names to it to show our commitment to doing whatever it takes to give her nation every possible chance to succeed.
The second type of declaration is specific to an initiative you are doing within your nation to accomplish a goal. We’re going to focus on this type of declaration today because it has more immediate applications to what you’re trying to accomplish.
For Treacy’s nation, we’re launching with three separate initiatives. The first is an “11 amazing days” list-building census to gather the people together in one place so that we can teach them the concepts they need to know to initiate change in their own lives. The second is an intensive workshop called “The Light Room” where Treacy guides people through their own relationship-changing work. And finally, there is the one-on-one work she does with families through her photography.
For each of these initiatives, we’ve written one short declaration, designed to clearly communicate the goals and the action people can take to get involved. They are:
11 days from now, we will have scientifically disproven one self-sabotaging theory that is holding you back from having a deeper relationship with a person you love…or even with yourself. It’s free. Get started here.
What if your mental picture of life and relationships isn’t the whole story? What if those images are actually negatives that need to be fully developed in order to see the true picture? Discover how you can use visual proof to improve your relationships and enrich your life experience. Join Treacy in the Light Room.
Getting your picture taken professionally isn’t about putting pictures of your smiling family up on the wall. It’s about capturing a memorable experience and then surrounding yourself with the truth of your most treasured relationships every single day. Find out more about how Treacy captures your family relationships in photographs.
Each of these declarations can stand alone, or be used to develop other ways of communicating (such as graphics, tweets, or sign-up incentives).
THE PARTS AND PIECES OF AN EFFECTIVE DECLARATION
A compelling declaration has three things (sometimes four). First, it has one or two things that you need to know about your nation’s intention. Second, it clearly shows what’s in it for the person you’re sharing it with. And finally, it gives a clear call-to-action.
The two things about the two things
I ran across this the other day, and I am now so compelled by this concept of “two things”. According to economist Glen Whitman, there are only two things you really need to know about any given subject; everything else is either the application of the two things, or it’s just not important.
For example, the two things about nation-building are:
1. An organized communal pursuit of a Great Good
2. Of the people, by the people, and for the people
And the two things about declarations are:
1. Clear intention
2. Bias toward action
If you can distill your nation’s intention into two things, writing any declaration (and getting people to participate) will be a downhill battle.
What’s in it for them?
It’s easy to get so caught up in the Great Good you’re trying to accomplish that you forget that humans are need-fillers. We perceive a need, and everything we do is a strategy to fill that need (read Gwen Bell’s excellent Reverb for more on that). In other words, no one is going to participate in your nation unless it is filling a perceived need in their lives.
For all of Treacy’s initiatives, the need is to find an effective solution for methodically changing relationships with people we care about, including ourselves. The reason this need is a good one is because it is something Treacy is sincerely passionate about, it is a need that is dearly felt (in other words, people know they have it without having to be educated or persuaded), and it’s something that she’s developed a clear strategy for fixing.
The call-to-action
If you’re familiar with marketing-speak, you’ve probably heard the term “call-to-action”. Here’s how I see it. If you want me to do something, it’s not my responsibility to figure out what you want me to do. It is your responsibility to ask for it. If you’re writing a blog post, hoping that someone who reads it ends up signing up for your email list, stop wishing. Ask. If you’re talking about your product with the hope that someone will take the hint and buy it, stop. Just ask. It’s a surprisingly effective and genuine way to communicate.
In addition to that, it makes sure that your declaration has a bias toward action, which is the main thing that sets a declaration apart from a mission statement or manifesto. It’s what makes this worth doing right now, rather than if/when you get a chance to slow-dance with your purpose and vision.
You don’t always have to have every piece of your declaration when you’re giving your elevator pitch or asking someone to do something, but having it in your mind will help you take focused action toward your next initiative and compel other people to do the same.
Leave a comment
Do you have questions or observations about writing your declaration(s)? As usual, I’ll be responding to everyone who writes in for the next 24 hours, and then sporadically after that. A toast to you and your declaration!
This reminds me of something we talk about in yoga classes: that when we set an intention for a class, it’s not supposed to be a goal (“I intend to touch my toes”) or something that could be graded on a pass/fail. It should be a declaration of a way-to-act, an ongoing action (“I will put my attention on my breath”). It should be something that when you find yourself not doing it, you just start doing it. We call it “practice” for a reason.
YES! In fact, I just read something about this today (in a different context). Christian Jarrett wrote about how goals can actually hold you back: http://the99percent.com/articles/7198/How-Goals-and-Good-Intentions-Can-Hold-Us-Back
It definitely resonated with me; I am exactly that person who stops doing the work once I *have* to do it to reach a certain goal. What works for me is deciding how I want to feel, and then doing whatever it takes to feel that way.
“If you want me to do something, it’s not my responsibility to figure out what you want me to do. It is your responsibility to ask for it.”
Amen.
Also, in Umair Haque’s book, Betterness, he talks about the problem with mission/vision statements as that they are very self-serving. “We want to be the best this, We want to be the chief destination for…” How annoying!
I love that you point out that, while a Declaration is in service of a larger purpose, it’s chief responsibility is to show what need is being filled for the customer.
“If you want me to do something, it’s not my responsibility to figure out what you want me to do. It is your responsibility to ask for it.”
Amen.
Also, in Umair Haque’s book, Betterness, he talks about the problem with mission/vision statements as that they are very self-serving. “We want to be the best this, We want to be the chief destination for…” How annoying!
I love that you point out that, while a Declaration is in service of a larger purpose, it’s chief responsibility is to show what need is being filled for the customer.
Thanks so much for the book suggestion, Tara…I’ll definitely have to pick that up. And yes, I hadn’t thought about that, but you’re right. Mission statements are so incredibly annoying…and that’s exactly why. We’re so used to thinking about things in terms of what we will do (thinking that intrinsically see how we’re serving them), but that’s not the same way as truly meeting someone’s need.
I’m taking Relly’s content strategy online class (supernicestudio.com) right now, and one of the things she says about Mission Statements is that “if you have to state it on your webpage, you’re not doing it.” Want to be the top destination, have the best customer service, whatever? Don’t say it, DO IT.
That is so, so true. Thanks for sharing that, Eileen.
” if you have to state it on your webpage, you’re not doing it” Awesome way to check yourself. I’m writing this one out and keeping it near my creative space!
I love that Eileen. I always say that’s the case with people (men specifically). The men who tell me what a gentleman they are and how good they are at treating women well…those are the men that don’t have a clue. The real gentlemen never mention it.
Comments are doing a janky-lanky thing right now where they’re not showing up right away — keep on sending; they’ll come up here shortly.
And…as soon as I said that, they came up. Magic.
love this. have never been a fan of the mission statement. never. ever.
the declaration feels more like inspired action!
the sacred union of knowing that there is a need & and being in the world doing something about it.
very empowered and empowering. power to the people.
Yes. One of my favorite ways of getting over being unmotivated is mentioned in The Art of Possibility. It’s to ask myself, “how can I be a contribution right now?” Making a declaration is setting yourself up to take the focus off of yourself, which ironically frees you up.
ah. freedom. always a good choice.
so, we might say that a way to get over being unmotivated is to get over yourself. another good choice.
I’m a huge fan of declarations! I like to make declarations about specific things, too – not like a mission statement, but more like a faith statement (I hold these truths to be self-evident…). For example, to celebrate my self-employed-aversary (AKA, personal independence day) last year I declared my independence and gathered up other people’s declarations (
http://taraswiger.com/declare-your-independence/ ). I reread them whenever I want to be inspired….and now I’m feeling inspired to make a declaration about the new things I’m working on (trust, joy, momentum)!
That is AWESOME, Tara. YES! I especially love Alexandra Franzen’s declaration of independence from “futuristic thought-flinging”. Hahaha!
I’ve read so much about mission statements that for a long time I thought it was one of those things I had to do. Love the action-centeredness of a declaration. Because this is how I process, can you give any examples of a declaration with a really great and clear bias towards action? Thank you for this! (side note: got your email in my inbox today & love the 24 hour comment conversation, makes it all timely and, well, more conversational. I’m thinking it’s the kind of thing that needs to spread!)
I am totally going to steal “the 24 hour comment conversation” — what a brilliant name for it.
There are a couple of examples up there for what we’re doing with Treacy. The one that was the most powerful for us is the first one — “11 days from now, we will have scientifically disproven one self-sabotaging theory that is holding you back from having a deeper relationship with a person you love…or even with yourself. It’s free. Get started here.”
It’s very direct, but we wanted to differentiate it from the “think happy thoughts” approach.
Thanks for pointing it out for me =) Declarations aside, Treacy’s work sounds incredible. The way you’ve created a story for the work she does is really wonderful!
I agree…she’s amazing!
I am totally enjoying your site. I subbed to you via email because I love reading it so much. {I’m very picky about who I let in my email box.} I’m so glad your little tree graphic and our twitter friendship drew us together. Not sure who made that first click, but I’m so glad to get to know your beautiful mind.
I’m kind of overwhelmed in life right now, but one day I might just implement some of your amazing ideas…
Thank you so much! I’m honored to have your good opinion.
I don’t know why I struggle with creating a declaration for myself? Perhaps it’s all those years of “mission statement” training in the corporate world? Maybe the “bias toward action” part is scary?
I just have to keep reminding myself that I can always change it! It’s MINE, right?
[...] to Carla for naming what we do here! For the next 24 hours, we’ll be actively conversating around this [...]
This is AMAZING! I have always hated mission statements but Sarah has completely shifted my world view. Thank you.