The Busy Leader's Handbook

30Define and Live Your Mission, Vision, and Values

Your mission, vision, and values truly matter. This has always been true, but the subject is really in the spotlight right now. That’s because we’ve moved into an era where people care more and more about working for (and buying from) companies that have a strong sense of purpose. As Millennials take over the workforce, being able to articulate why you exist, where you’re going, how you make the world better, and what it means to work for you become even more important.

A World Economic Forum survey of young people found that more than 40 percent of them think sense of purpose/impact on society is one of their “most important criteria when considering job opportunities.”¹

What’s more, another study of Millennials conducted by Cone Communications found that:

• 75 percent say they would take a pay cut to work for a responsible company (vs. 55 percent US average).
• 83 percent would be more loyal to a company that helps them contribute to social and environmental issues (vs. 70 percent US average).
• 88 percent say their job is more fulfilling when they are provided opportunities to make a positive impact on social and environmental issues (vs. 74 percent US average).²

Paying attention to your mission, vision, and values statements isn’t just about making people feel good about working for you. And it’s not just a “Millennials” thing, either. These guiding principles help define and communicate the all-important why that drives leaders ...