Building A Mission That Motivates

Is your mission a rallying cry for employee engagement to drive toward goals?

Situation

A large retailer, driven by a sharp product focus, did not have full employee commitment for service execution. The marketing team, in particular, was disengaged with morale suffering as a consequence. They scored lowest in company surveys for motivation, buy-in and a sense of connection to the overall strategy.

Action

Members of the NovaLex team surveyed the team and found that a lack of clear mission, and business values as well as poorly defined expected behaviors were creating a gap between goals and performance. The NovaLex process uncovered more than just a lack of clear mission. It was evident that roles and responsibilities needed clarification.

A working mission statement was developed with the senior members of the team and reviewed by all team members. It was important that the process was highly interactive, giving all a sense of participation in the outcomes. Employees that had not answered the survey were included to ensure that no one “stayed on the sidelines,” only to later undermine efforts toward common goals.

With a working mission statement founded on broad input and acceptance, execution of the rollout plan was equally important. NovaLex experience showed that certain “artifacts” were needed to cement a new way of thinking. Along with the new mission statement, training tools for managers, communications materials and a new incentive program was built to reinforce the desired behaviors around the mission.