Your Mission, if you decide to accept it.....

Remember Mission Impossible? Not the new one with Tom Cruise, but the television show with Peter Graves and the 5 second self destructive mission.

When considering the vision and mission statement of your procurement and/or supply chain organization, what is it based on? Is it for your team, or is it considered in the context of what would resonate with your stakeholder population?



Most internal departments create vision and mission statements without necessarily considering how it will be read from those external to the area. If that is the case you might as well have it self-destruct in five seconds, because it will never result in enhancing your group's image to the your potential client group.

Yes, I know, it is important to strive for best-in-class and also to deliver cost savings, and of course so should everyone else in the corporation.

But the reality is that when you engage with your internal client group, you need to approach them as if they are an alien nation or somewhat foreign to what your team does. There questions may very well be -- How does cost savings help me? (someone will then just come and take that portion of my budget away) What does it mean to me if you are best-in-class? I've been doing this for many years, what possible benefit can your group bring?

We've all heard the objections, but some of these are based on our own unfortunate lingoism and not understanding the message that we are sending out by missions and visions that aren't based on our client needs.

Furthermore a mission and vision statement, should not require subsequent explanation -- it should be clear, to the point, understandable and resonate with your targeted client group. It needs to be the hook to reel the interest in -- demonstrating value and focus that is broader than the four walls of your departmental organization chart.

Go out -- ask or have someone else, like a consultant, ask for you -- Mr/Ms. Client -- if we were to define a vision/mission statement what would you think should be part of it? And after you are done and have draft vision/mission statements, go out and socialize them again and get feedback. Only then will you be able to know that you have it right.

Words can be your friends, but also your enemies. A vision and mission statement defines what your team is to the organization. It may seem inconsequential to some, but it can truly gain or effect negatively your credibility within the corporation.

And then when you deliver it to your stakeholders, it won't self-destruct in 5 seconds!