Mission Trumps All: Part 2

Remember why you started all this?  You knew you could offer better service, or custom quality, or unique perspective to your clients and customers.  You knew you could make a difference, or do it different, or live differently and you knew you could be responsible for your own results.  You have the courage to be a business owner, and as you’ve grown you’ve gotten to bring new people into the mix.  Have you shared with them the reason why you started all this?

Most business owners figure the “why” isn’t important to their team.  By the time you’re hiring employees you’re working so hard you are grateful just to get through the day getting the tasks, projects and priorities done.  It feels like what’s important in that moment is the action, not the motivation, but sadly, that idea is a downward spiral.  If you don’t want to spend the rest of your life feeling like you’re working for your team rather than the other way around, you have to give your employees a reason to work hard, think smart and focus on your bottom line that is better than their paycheck.  But it’s tough.  It’s hard to communicate our “Why”, because we’re so close to it.  You can make it easy for yourself though, when you let somebody help.

Find someone who listens well, who can really hear you, and who can articulate back to you what they just heard you say.  Your mission is the fire in your belly, the driving force in your leadership, and all good leaders have sounding boards they can trust.  Find that person, and let them help you frame your mission in a clear way to inspire your team.