You Need More Than One Statement

your Core strategy has 5 pieces — and you need all 5

Photo by Arno Senoner on Unsplash

Many leaders present an inspiring vision or a carefully crafted statement to their team.

They put effort into the production with well-made slides and sometimes a video to circulate for an additional boost.

Then that's it. 

One statement alone isn't useful because it doesn't connect your why to your what or how. 

To set and maintain your focus, you need all five pieces of your Core strategy: purpose, vision, mission, values, and story. 

The focal point of your Core strategy is the value you deliver, as set by your purpose. 

In addition to defining why what you do matters, your strategy needs to include:

Where you’re going

What’s going to be different because you were here? What do you want your legacy to be? Every time you effectively serve your clients or customers, you help create the world depicted in your vision. 

What actions you take to get there

What do we actually do to deliver value and ultimately make our mark on the world? What are our unique capabilities? That’s the mission we accept and execute every day. 

How you take those actions

How specifically do we do things around here? What behaviors do we cultivate? Know what walk to walk.

And how you talk about all this

Your story translates all the other parts into an accessible, human narrative because stories are the best way to communicate. 

This strategy sets the focus for your entire business.

It’s the strategy. Period.

When you align your actions and goals with your purpose, you can actively connect what you’re asking your team to do to why you’re asking them to do it.

And, most importantly, to why that matters in the first place.

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