I met with a fantastic organization that does huge business in the USA. They are routinely winning awards and business because they have such an energized and engaged culture. The company will do profound leadership work, say on their values, and then ensure that these concepts are thoroughly metabolized throughout the culture. But like many leadership oriented and thoughtful companies, they adopt leadership models like vision, mission, values or purpose statements, but then never express these qualities into the marketplace in a way that moves the needle in terms of brand awareness.
Even after dismissing the dangers of creating vision, mission etc. concepts by committee or with misguided consultants, the problem still remains that brainy organizations have too many concepts that are designed for leadership and too few – or none – that are designed for brand marketing success. That’s why every company should have the brand concepts of promise, position and personality. Sure, these concepts can and should be used as leadership tools, but they must lead to increased awareness, consideration and loyalty.
If either your vision, mission, values or purpose is so strong that it makes people buy, then unbeknown to you, these concepts are also doing double duty work as either part of your promise, position or personality. Figure them out, and then, with renewed conviction, get out there and win!