“Without beliefs or the ability to tap into them, people can be totally disempowered. They’re like a motorboat without a motor or a rudder.” – Anthony Robbins

When Stephen Covey’s book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People was first published in 1989, the concept of a mission statement was completely novel. But soon companies around the country started creating their own mission statements. Mission statements are the core beliefs of a company. Motivational speaker Tony Robbins suggests that living by your mission statement creates the integrity that clients are looking for.

The journey of success isn’t about the destination, it’s about discovering yourself through a series of checkpoints along the way. Helping your team understand the sense of direction allows for your ability to lead more effectively.

Internally, company-wide mission statements are important tools because employees need to know what is expected of them–just as they need to know how the company perceives itself. For example, customer service reps can’t call their manager every time a customer calls with a little gripe. They need to understand the corporate philosophy and apply it to a customer’s concerns. Sales people also need to be able to make deals and offer contracts that are consistent with mission statement.

Empower your people with solid information on you goals and expectations. The give them the ability to make decisions based on your philosophy, and then be able to broadcast your ideas to the rest of the world.

I am interested in your views on this. I’ve found there to be a lot of confusion between an employee handbook and a company’s mission statement. How are these important to you?