Family Mission Statement
FAMILY MISSION STATEMENT
Move your family
from chaos to order
The family mission statement is closely related to the
company mission statement. Many of you are familiar with company mission statements: a few words to several paragraphs that set the philosophical basis and direction of the organization. And many of you know how important we consider the company mission statement is for your family business.
Don Schwerzler
has been studying and advising family business entrepreneurs for more than 40 years. He is the founder of the
Family Business Institute
, the first multi-disciplined, full-service resource for families in business together.
According to Schwerzler, "One of the most common factors we see in our family business consulting is the need to identify the basis of the family and business interaction, or as we describe it: Are you a family-first-business or a business-first family?"
We strongly recommend and advise that a family adopt a mission statement - and that this step be done before creating the mission statement for the family's business.
The reason for this is what we call the "duelism dynamic" that we have identified as a critical element of our succession planning process
succession management process
. What we are suggesting is that the planning process for the family should be driving the planning process for the family business. The family mission statement is a great place to begin the process!
These days, families are caught up in the drive for success and for the family's business accomplishment. Parents try to balance demanding careers, children's activities, social obligations and an overwhelming schedule of appointments, meetings, practices, shopping... and that doesn't even include time for themselves or extra considerations about family businesses.
Can a family bring order from chaos?
Can they find a way to make decisions that respect and consider the needs of each and every family member?
And we suggest two books that provide some solid guidance, which we are pleased to share with you.
How to Create a Family Mission Statement
Relationship expert Steven R. Covey ["The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families"; Golden Books, 1997] describes how to create a family's mission statement.
- Start by contemplating the mission of your own life
- Define your family
- Schedule a time to meet
- Write down what your family is all about
- Post it in a prominent place in your house
- Use it to stay on track
Elaine Hightower of Atlanta seems to have been one of the parents we described above. Along with her husband and children, they decided they had to change the way the operated. Elaine write about the process in "Our Family Meeting Book: Fun and Easy Ways to Manage Time, Build Communication and Share Responsibility, Week by Week" [Free Spirit Publishing.]
Covey and Hightower both address a key benefit of the process: each family member has a chance to contribute, to express their viewpoint in a non-confrontational way. The meetings are a time when each member has the full and undivided attention of the rest of the family.
And they both make another important point - a real benefit of the family mission statement process: the family mission statement becomes the guideline for making family decisions, for settling questions like how the family wants to spend its time and its money.
Order from chaos? Better decision making? Your family mission statement will sure help!
We recommend MISSION EXPERT - inexpensive and easy to use!
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Editors Note
Does your family business have a
Mission Statement?
We invite you to post your Mission Statement on our web site.
It may be inspirational to other family businesses as they write their Family Business Mission Statement!
CLICK HERE TO POST YOUR
FAMILY BUSINESS MISSION STATEMENT
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Chaos Busters - The Management Guide
Identifies 160 Key Business Questions
- 160 Key Business Questions will stimulate creativity and innovation for your entire management team!
- 160 Key Business Questions are the keys to unlock the hidden potential of your organization!
- 160 Key Business Questions will save you time and make your work more effective!
- 160 Key Business Questions is a Multi-purpose tool with unlimited applications!
http://www.family-business-experts.com/chaos-busters.html
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How Well Organized is YOUR Organization?
Your Business Will Succeed...
If...
You have The Roadmap for Success
That's What
The Practitioner's Guide for Organizing an Organization
Is All About
- PGOO shows how to identify the most pressing problems to solve
- PGOO introduces the ODS-OL (Organizational Diagnostic Survey –Online) - an electronic assessment tool that is highly effective, easy to use, systematic and data-based
- PGOO explains how to produce a better-organized organization
http://www.family-business-experts.com/PGOO.html
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Family Business Experts
Understands
Family Values and
Business Systems
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Understanding Family Business e-zine.
Return from Family Mission Statement to
Company Mission Statements
