As I’m sure you have heard, the iPhone’s new mapping software is a complete mess. The phone was highly anticipated and many spent hours waiting in line or up at 3 o’clock in the morning attempting to be one of the first owners of a shiny new iPhone 5.  However, instead of the glowing reviews Apple is accustomed to receiving, a majority of the feedback has been focused on the poorly functioning “Apple Maps.” After reading another negative article this weekend, I found myself thinking of how frustrated I become when I get lost. 

Yes, getting lost when driving to a friend’s house is a pain. You arrive at your destination, knock on the door, and someone you’ve never seen answers (if you’re wondering, this has happened to me before). Now, imagine trying to run an organization and feeling the same way.  You think you’re headed in one direction, only to find out your vision was derailed somewhere along the way and you never even noticed. 

How do you get back on track? Well, the answer is simple – define (or in some cases, redefine) your mission. What’s the first thing you do when navigating from your phone or GPS? You set your destination.  Defining the mission is like setting your destination. It expresses the reason why your organization exists. A clearly defined mission prevents organizational drift, or simply put – “getting lost.” 

What does it take to develop an effective mission statement? First, it must be agreed upon and fully adopted by the leaders within the organization. Once developed, it needs to be effectively communicated at all levels of the organization. Having a clear vision at the top will motivate and guide all others involved, creating buy-in collectively and individually. 

An effective mission statement becomes the focal point for aligning resources and operations at all levels. It should apply to the daily tasks of frontline employees or volunteers, all the way to the highest levels of decision makers within the organization. This will help guarantee that everyone stays aligned to the ultimate mission and is working together for a common purpose. 

Don’t wait until you knock on the wrong door. Take the time to properly set your destination as an organization and align your resources to get you there.