Your Mission, Vision and Values Sound Like Gibberish to Employees

You can spend tons of time and money creating mission, vision, and values statements. Sadly, too many of them sound to employees like this incomprehensible answer that Miss Teen South Carolina gave in a recent beauty pageant.

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Posted on August 25, 2007 by Frank Roche
Filed Under Communication

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Andrew Boyd 1 year ago 1 point
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Hi,

do you consider all mission/vision/values statements to be like this contestant's speech?

Or just the funny ones? :)

Cheers, Andrew

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Frank Roche 1 year ago 1 point
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Hi Andrew, I'd say a LOT of them I've seen, even the ones that aren't intentionally funny. They're written by committee, which, as we know, doesn't work. (I often say to my communication clients when we're talking about the need for an executive editor: None of us is as stupid as all of us.)

I'm afraid that mission/vision/values statements are just that in a lot of organizations (not all...and I have a couple clients who talk about them daily and use them). Statements don't work...it's about the behaviors. So....many, many, I'd say....but not all. (I'll let a few off the hook.)

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JT 1 year ago 1 point
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LOL.
I just can't stop laughing.
Actually, I think you missed the best part. It's the look on the announcer. He knows she's an idiot and he wants to burst out laughing but he can't.

The lesson maybe is that is the look that you want to avoid on your employees' faces.

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Frank Roche 1 year ago 1 point
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JT, that would have been even better...dangit, I missed it. I was thinking about that poor sucker standing there and trying not to laugh. Great observation!

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Priscilla Palmer 1 year ago 1 point
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You have been tagged for The Personal Development List. (See my site for details), I would love to have you participate.

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ubermench 1 year ago 1 point
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What didn't you understand?

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albert 1 year ago 1 point
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This reminds me of the scene from "Billy Madison" when Adam Sandler spits out some ridiculous answer during the quiz and the principal says:

"Mr. Madison, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

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Frank Roche 1 year ago 1 point
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Albert, that's funny, I had to go back and watch that one. Mission/vision/values statements make me dumber for having read them!

Ubermensch, you're right. Maybe I need to listen better.

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